


Breathe slow, stay with me

by SkinnyElephant



Category: Undertale (Video Game)
Genre: Anxiety, Bombs, Crying, Lots of tears, Panic, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, Sad Papyrus, Sadness, Shock, Tears, Trauma, be careful, dying, it has to get worse before it can get better, temporary deafness, toriel being a mom, will add more tags when i think of them
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-10-03
Updated: 2017-02-25
Packaged: 2018-08-19 07:13:49
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 14
Words: 23,789
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8195506
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SkinnyElephant/pseuds/SkinnyElephant
Summary: *(It's a poorly drawn picture of three smiling people)*SANS LOOK OUT *Don't forget*man i really screwed up this timeWHAT WILL WE DO NOW *I'm here for you*S-sans!*Don't forget*i-i don't know paps





	1. The voices are the best part

**Author's Note:**

> Okay so this is way different than TCOGB, its an actual story, yeah the other one had a story too but this one is more written out, theres Dialogue! its new and doesn't really start start until a few chapters in, but i like the direction its going it so please now or any point in the future, please tell me if something confuses you or could be written better!
> 
> I'm hoping it sounds as cool as it did in my head guys 
> 
> Happy Reading!
> 
> S.E.

Sans often watched the stars at night, since they emerged from the underground he has yet to become bored with their beauty. Papyrus most of the time accompanies him asking about the many constellations and groups of stars that hang light years from them. Sans speaks with such scientific jargon that it confuses Papyrus, causing him to make a face that leaves Sans in tears from laughing so hard. Rolled on his side clutching his non-existent gut he uses his other hand to wipe his eyes. Papyrus makes a show of raising his brows in a way that say that he is not amused, but this happens every night; its like well-loved and memorized script between the both of them. Papyrus will ask a question, sans will answer it with the biggest words and in the most science-y way possible leaving Papyrus to yell Sans' name scolding. After the scolding and the laughter died down Sans would use more appropriate terms to better answer whatever it was that Papyrus had asked. Sans'll rest his head on his hands so he could better look at Papyrus but would always wave one hand around in the air when exaggerating or point to the sky when he mentioned a specific set of stars.

He always took time to look at Papyrus and make sure he understood before moving onto another subject, and if he didn’t he would explain again with emphasis on whatever Papyrus had missed. Papyrus enjoys their nights on the hill like this, he likes that they get to spend time to hang out after a long day of working. Well he knew he was working he doesn’t exactly know what Sans does after he leaves in the morning but he knows that between the both of them they have enough to keep living where they’re living. It’s a beautiful two-story house that they’re both paying off, it’s a rent to own situation.

Sans knew a guy who knew a guy and then bam! They got a house! Papyrus has to believe it was someone who builds houses that ‘found’ their home because it looks close to the house they had back in Snowdin, well the only thing that stayed the same was the balcony in the living room the rest of the house got a major upgrade. The kitchen was bigger, and the sink not as tall. The living room was big enough for slumber parties everyday and the bedrooms upstairs were even wider than before. Papyrus knows Sans isn’t much for change, neither is he if he were being honest. It’s kinda scary sometimes but moving to the surface was the best change that ever could of happened he thinks. He’s never seen Sans so happy just to look at the sky, He loves watching his brother play with all the kid monsters at the park, he pushes them on the swings and spins them on the merry go round.  Papyrus is happy watching his brother become happier each day. Papyrus knows that his happiness only fuels his brother’s, they bounce off each other. So he’ll sit here and listen to Sans spout Jargon and laugh at Papyrus’ confusion because Sans is happy and that’s all that matters to him.

“Sans?” Papyrus asked after a while of silence, he turned his head towards his brother. His ungloved hands feeling the cool grass, his fingers slipping through the blades again and again as he pulled but not picked the greenery.

“Hmm?” the brother mumbled both his eyes were closed, Papyrus was certain that Sans had already fallen asleep with how long it took him to answer, not worried that he’d have to carry his brother back to the house again but that he didn’t want to walk all the way back into the city.

“ You’re happy, right?” he knew the answer, he could see it in his brother’s face everyday. He wanted to hear him say it, so he could hear himself. 

Sans hummed to himself quietly for a moment before answering, almost like he was looking for a correct answer. “Well, you’re happy aren’t you?”  he cracked an eye to peek over at Papyrus, maybe looking for something.

“That’s not what I mean and you know it” Papyrus sat up and pouted, looking down at his older brother who still had an eye cracked. “I mean, are you happy with your job, your friends, the place you live, mentally? I guess just all around are you okay?”

Both of sans eyes popped open, looking up and meeting his brother’s gaze he wonders if there was something that could make him happier, a job? More money? Bigger house? No, he decides he doesn’t need that kind of stuff to be happy. That what his friends and family are for.

“As long as you’re happy Paps, I’m good too” he responds and closes his eyes again, it obviously wasn’t what Papyrus was looking for because his face began to steam.

“SANS” He whines towards the end “I’m being serious!” if he were standing he’d probably stomp too for good measure.

“So am I bro” came right after with no hesitation.

Papyrus was quiet after that, taking in the information he didn’t speak again. He was afraid however of sans falling alseep and leaving papyrus as the only to take them both home. Papyrus doesn’t mind he just doesn’t really like to walk through the city at night. Its bad enough during the day when people say nasty things to him but at night he’s been threatened before and well, he really didn’t like that.

“Come on Sans, time to go” Papyrus shook his brother’s shoulder to wake him.

“five more minutes bro” he mumbled and Papyrus ‘Nyeh heh’ a chuckle under his breath, not wanting sans to hear or he might think he’s won.

“Nope we got to get home and rest, for tomorrow is the anniversary celebration” He shook sans again, harder this time, but not enough to hurt him. That’s the last thing he’d ever want to do.  

Sans made a sound like a wounded animal, a sound that just kept going until Papyrus promised to let him drink as much ketchup as he wanted. Not that sans needed any sort of permissions to do what he normally did, it was just fun to annoy his brother.

“You really mean it Paps?” he said in a really hopeful, really playfully fake sounding voice.

“Yes, yes now lets get going you still have to read me my story” he stood and brushed off his bottom then turned and reached down his hand for sans to be able to pull himself up on.

“Okay okay, whatever you say great Papyrus” he wore a huge grin and winked with one eye to further tease. He grabbed onto his brother’s hand to haul himself up and laugh at his own joke.

“That’s THE great Papyrus to you, sans” Sans laughed harder and kept a grip on his brother, reading for the shortcut he was about to take them both through. “Hold on tight” was the last thing he heard before a loud wooshing sound and darkness covered his eyes. When he first started to take shortcuts with sans he would close his eyes but he learned that keeping them open he gets to see a blur of color that can only be seen while taking a shortcut. The colors of the destination spin into view, its like rolling down a hill with your eyes open but you aren't spinning. Sans says it makes his head hurt so he keeps his eyes closed.

The bedtime story was Papyrus’ favorite part of their nightly routine, aside from the star gazing. He loved that sans put his all into reading his favorite book each night, over and over. Sans even did voices for each character, not the best voices, but funny voices none the less. Once their story was finished sans pulled his blanket up a bit closer to Papyrus’ chin and bid him goodnight with a flick of the light switch.


	2. Its faster this way

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> OKAY so this is how i'm going to try to do this thing. I'm gonna kinda 'Steven Bomb' the first few chapters until i can get a schedule set up. So that means writing a bologna ton of chapters ahead of time and editing them. 
> 
> I edit my own chapters so that means i can still miss some things guys, don't be afraid to tell me i fucked up LMAO. 
> 
> ANYWAY
> 
> its really just build up right now, we got another chapter until stuff happens. 
> 
> Happy Reading guys!
> 
> S.E.

The mornings are what got sans, even though he’d usually try to nap during the day he’d still be tired. He doesn’t know why, its probably all the activities he and his bro have been doing. It keeps him active and awake which lead to less naps. Papyrus wouldn’t like it if he napped today, everyone is getting together to celebrate the first anniversary being on the surface. It’s a huge thing to everyone and Toriel, well she really knows how to throw a SHIN-dig. Of course she was in charge of putting it together and inviting everyone. If they were lucky, Jerry wouldn’t of heard anything of the party and wont know to show up.

Yeah its rude but no-one really likes Jerry anyway. Sans and Papyrus had gotten home late last night, late enough for some to start calling it morning. It was no issue for Papyrus, he could go days without sleep and it didn’t seem to bother him. Sans tended to sleep in as much as possible. So late in fact that he only woke when Papyrus knocked loudly –one would call it pounding- on his door, telling him that they had an hour before the party at the park started. Sans pretended to snooze for a minute longer, ignoring Papyrus’ calls.

“SANS!” He yelled through the door and above his knocking. “YOU HAVE TO GET UP NOW OR WE’LL BE LATE” sans waved his arm at the door, forgetting for a moment that his bro didn’t have x-ray vision.

“Yeah yeah, I’m up” Sans turned over, facing the wall and pulled the covers over his head. “Just…Just give me five more minutes bro” he yawned, almost drifted off again. Papyrus Knocked again and stomped his foot when he heard snoring.

“SANS” He crossed his arms when there was no answer again. Pouting slightly he retreated down the stairs and back into the kitchen where he finished packing up the baked goods he had made for the party. Since coming to the surface he’d learned that there were many more things that a person could cook than just spaghetti, he’d really gotten into baking. Cookies, cakes, pastries, pies you name it. Toriel was beside herself when she learned that someone else was into baking like her. They often shared recipes and tips, and had days where they would just baking til their hearts content. Days like that he’d bring home piles of cookies and other baked goods that sans just couldn’t wait to get into. his brother would brag about how great a baker his bro was and even got him a new apron that said ‘This is how I roll’ with a picture of a rolling pin on it. Papyrus was furious about the pun when he’d first gotten it but he never fails to wear it when he cooks. 

Papyrus looked up at the clock, it had been five minutes where was sans? He turned to exit the kitchen, goal in mind was to call up the stairs but stopped when his brother was already seated at the kitchen table. Sans was showered, dressed and already had his shoes on.

“Whats for breakfast bro?” Sans grinned slouched forward, head tilted and propped up by an arm he rested on the table.

“I made crepes for breakfast” Papyrus pulled a plate off the rack in the oven, thankful it was still warm. Sans was a good liar back underground, telling Papyrus that his spaghetti was the best he'd ever tasted. Thinking on it now, it was probably the only he'd ever tasted. Even Papyrus believed that for a little bit, but coming to the surface and having some one else make it for him made him realize that he wasn’t a good a chef as he could be. Sans thought that Papyrus would become saddened by that thought but it had actually pushed him to become better. At least he’d wanted to, he tried and he tried. Cooking classes, tutors, blogs but nothing helped. He nearly gave up until one day he just..decided to try something different. He made white chocolate, cranberry and walnut cookies. When he tried them he didn’t think too much of them but when sans had one his eyes lit up. He demanded more. He paraded the cookies around to their friends and when they were all gone they wanted more too. So thats what he did. Except he made cookies with milk chocolate chips and another batch with m&ms candies. People couldn’t get enough of his baking, they suggested he set up shop with muffet but he didn’t think that his hobby should spill over into his work life. He just does it for fun.

“I know you like them best brother” Papyrus set them down on the table in front of sans and watched him go to town. 

“They aren’t my FAVORITE thing you can bake” sans mumbled out between bites, slurping down the coffee that Papyrus had set down next to the plate.

“Yeah? Then what is?” Papyrus enjoyed simple conversation like this. Lots of people probably had life like this but did they appreciate it? He watched sans devour the pastries he’d made.

“Those cookies, you know. The ones you made that first time? the ones with the nuts” Sans finished the last bites of his breakfast and gulped down the rest of his cooling coffee. He stacked the mug on the plate and pushed the dishes forward so he could rest his face in a hand again, he grinned lazily.

“The ones with the walnuts? Those? I've definitely gotten better brother” He picked up the dishes and plopped them in the sink, there were places to be so they could be done later. The dishes wouldn’t go anywhere.

“Yeah, but those were the best ” sans grinned to himself and Papyrus couldn’t help but smile back just as wide. Looking up at the clock again he saw that a half hour had passed, he jumped up from where he was leaning against the counter and jogged to the door to put his shoes on.

“Come on Sans! We’ll be late!” Papyrus grumbled towards the kitchen while he struggled to pull his boot on. Using his shoulder, he leaned against the wall to keep balanced. “SANS” he called again.

“Yeah I’m here bro” sans strolled in through the living room door way, he stood by and watched as Papyrus struggled to pull his boots on. “You know it would be easier if you just sat –“

“This is faster” Papyrus continued to struggle against the boot and balancing against the wall while sans looked on with a amused expression. A couple minutes had ticked by when the boots were finally on.

“See? Faster.” The younger of the two stated with his nose held high, knowing that it had indeed taken longer the way he had done it but was too proud to say otherwise.

“You’re right bro” a shrug of the shoulders and a nod of the head. “Lets just head out, okay?” the shorter held out his hand, eyes closed. Both knowing that the second they clasped hands they’d be off. Papyrus didn’t hesitate to grab his brother’s hand and couldn’t wait to feel the rush of the shortcut, his only gripe about such an ability is that he is unable to do it himself. How he wishes he could wiz through space whenever he pleased. But he could only be so talented he supposed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Added 10/3/2016


	3. Those cookies are to die for

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I've got allergies hitting me like a brick to the face an i don't want them anymore ahaha
> 
> Happy reading
> 
> S.E.

 

The party in the park or ‘Anniversary celebration’ wasn’t a tiny little get together. Nearly everyone who once lived underground and now live on the surface is here… looks like even Jerry found his way here too. Everyone seems to be dong a good job at avoiding him though, he’s over by the food table elbow deep in the chip bowls. Sans and Papyrus were by no means the last to arrive but they weren’t the first either. Toriel greeted them with some kind words of hello and held out a bowl of pretzels. No doubt to be set out on the table that Jerry is currently occupying. Papyrus, without thinking grabbed the bowl. Toriel sweetly asked –manipulated- papyrus to place the bowl with the other bowls on the food table over by Jerry.

“Wh-wha?” Papyrus mumbled a bit dazed by toriels fast speaking.

“Just, you know, put it with the other bowls over there…….” Her face fell flat and became uninterested “ by Jerry” it was flat for a second more before she cheered up and thanked Papyrus in advance and ran off. Leaving Papyrus to do the work she least wanted to do.

“nyeh..I guess I’ll be back” was quietly murmured, like he hadn’t wished to be heard. Sans watch the fiasco happen. He watched his brother try to be as small as possible, hunched over and slide the bowl onto the table from a safe distance. The strange movements caught Jerry’s attention and let him strike up a conversation with the taller skeleton. Sans watched this with a grin from his spot, a safe distance away, but he knew he should save his bro. its something that Papyrus would do for him. He did however enjoy watching his brother sweat it out for a minute, searching for a polite escape. He chuckled at his brother's situation, it was like a sinking ship.

“Papyrus!” he called out over the growing crowed of people with one arm raised to wave the brother over. “C’mere! I need to talk to you for a sec!” he let his arm swing back and forth in a slow wave before replacing it in his pocket. Watching Jerry try to follow his brother over WAS funny, how Papyrus would wag his figure at Jerry like a mother scolding a child. Eventually Jerry’s attention was drawn by a temmie and he walked off, leaving the skeleton free to do whatever he wished.

 The shorter brother attention was drawn away from watching jerry walk away from his bro down to the kid who was tugging on his jacket sleeve. The kid doesn’t talk much, except for that one time they told everyone their name. Besides that they use sign language to speak. Monsters have a pretty good understanding of language that helps them understand the motions the kid makes with their hands.

“Hey kid, heard any good jokes lately?” he spoke softly, the kid doesn’t like loud noises they’ve all come to learn. Frisk, the child shook their head in the negative but rose their hands to sign.

“It’s been a while sans, has work kept you busy?”  sans made eye contact with frisk and laughed, he pat frisk on the head like you might pat a dog. He even ruffled their hair for good measure.

“No need to worry about me, kid” he pulled his hand back into his pocket and laughed at the kid’s messed up hair. “Paps an me are getting on just fine in that big ol house. You can stop in if you want” He looked up from the kid to search the crowd for his brother, just to check in on him. Old habits die hard. Before he could spot the other skeleton his attention was drawn down to the kid again.

“Can I really? Just come over, whenever I want?” Frisks eyes gleamed with anticipation, oh the slumber parties they could have!

“Yeah, whenever you want kid, as long as your mom says its cool” He let his eyes wander back over the crowed, searching for his brother. He watched the kid run off from the corner of his eye, he Practically raised Papyrus, he had this ‘eyes everywhere’ thing down pat. He had begun walking around the venue looking from his brother when he felt a hand on his shoulder. He jumped and turned, ready for a fight but let his hands fall when he saw that it was just his brother.

“Sans, did  you bring the container of cookies I told you to get?” Sans stared with a blank face, confused for a moment, then realizing his fault he continued to look past his brother with a blank face.

“Well? Sans?” his brother prodded, hands now placed neatly on his hip bones.

“ah- nah I didn’t bro.. sorry about that” his grinned faltered the tiniest bit, even more so when Papyrus sighed at sans’ forgetfulness. “ man.. I really screwed up this time, huh bro?” he angled his head toward the ground. The park was full of people but it felt like this conversation could only be heard by the two of them.

“Now sans, I didn’t say that. What have I told you about being down on yourself like that? I wont have it. You're too great to be saying things like that about yourself” papyrus lowered  his voice as his mini speech went on, so others around them wouldn’t hear in case sans didn’t want all of the surface to know how he didn’t feel good about himself.

“heh Thanks bro” he said lowly, eyes still turned to the ground. “an sorry about your cookies”

“ah it’s fine! More for us to eat at home, right brother?” the shorter of the two perked up at the thought of that. Sans loved Papyrus’ baking, so if there is ever a chance to eat it he’s right on it.

The party was set to start at noon but didn’t really have a end time. Whenever people went home was when it was over. That’s how it'd gone underground that’s how it’ll be on the surface. There was music, people danced and ate. People came from work and left for it, some even returned after short shifts. After all the food had run out and the trash cleared away the music was turned up and people danced until they couldn’t feel their feet. Passing humans saw the party and joined in. Monsters aren’t against humans, they live among them now so it was no issue when they joined in the celebration.

It wasn’t until dark that people started to trickle away. The humans first and then the younger monsters. Leaving the group smaller and smaller as the hours went on. Police came by a few time because of complaints off the music and that’s when it was decided to pack it in for the night. Accepting the situation the police left easily and the clean up began. Papyrus cleared the tables nearest the trees, farthest away from where the music had been. Flipping tables over and pushing the legs back in wasn’t a challenge. The challenge was how was he going to carry all five tables at once? He humm’d and haw’d for a moment before choosing that stacking them on his head was the best option. He flipped another table over to push the legs in but instead saw a straggly wire covered mess of a contraption. He couldn’t be sure what it was, but there was a timer and it only had 43 seconds left.

“S-sans!” he called across the field “What do you suppose this contraption is?” he pointed at the barreled object duct taped to the bottom of the folding table once he was near by.

“I-I don’t know paps, but we should probably get away” He knew exactly what it was. It was a Bomb.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Added 10/3/2016


	4. Is it a lie when you don't know yourself

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> there is mentions of bombs, panic, and shock so stay safe kay?
> 
> there isn't much to say today so lets get to it!
> 
> Happy reading!
> 
> S.E.

 

Papyrus wanted to question his brother, if he didn’t know what it was, how did he know if it was dangerous? He stood to ask this of sans but the timer was already dangerously low, 43 seconds easily turned into 35, and then 28. Soon enough it was just Sans, and Papyrus having a conversation next to a bomb with 10 seconds.  Sans did the first thing he could think of which was grab his brother’s torso and throw him to the ground beneath him, kicking the table as far away as hit feet could manage. With sans hovering protectively over Papyrus who was just grabbing a hold of what the situation could entail, he wrapped himself around his brother in chance that he may protect him. The timer finished its countdown and paused in what could have been, what WAS, the longest second of both their lives. They both let out a breath and the beginnings of a chuckle. Just when they had thought it was a dud they saw white.

Papyrus was disorientated, he could only see white even though he had shut his eyes before the explosion. After the white faded there was colors that spotted his vision, purples and greens and gross pinks. His ears rung loud and constant, it felt like they were never going to stop. Twisting his neck he saw everything move in slow motion, behind him was what was left of the clean up crew, Toriel, a woshua, aaron and a few of the dogs running towards their location. In his confusion, ringing ears, and pounding head nothing else seemed to matter in the scenery so he was content to lay his head down and pray for the ringing to subside until he caught glimpse of a man wearing an ugly face. He was grinning, he was happy that the two brothers were nearly blown to bits.  Papyrus stared at him with half closed eyes until he seemed to fade into the darkness of the until greenery behind him. At least the both of them were okay. Except.. sans hadn’t moved yet.. sitting up made the world spin and Papyrus nearly vomited. He slowly, for the sake of his head, turn to sans excepting his brother to be wide eye and bushy tailed. But that wasn’t the case. His brother laid, eyes closed and very still; almost as if he were sleeping. He called out to him, he didn’t know how loud or soft he was being, the ringing hadn’t faded yet.

“ ____! ____!” he shook his brother’s shoulders, he couldn’t hear himself and he was scared. Scared for his brother and for himself. He kept shaking him, and calling for him louder and louder. The only way he knew he was being loud was by the rawness in his throat that grew each time he yelled. Tears flowed freely down his cheeks and finally one of the dogs pulled him back. He doesn’t know which one and he doesn’t care to know he just wanted to hold his brother. Struggling against the dogs grasp is when the ringing began to fade but his hearing didn’t come back. He cried more reaching  his arms out for the body of his brother that was now in Toriel’s hands. WHY wont they let him go? HE knows whats best for Sans! NOT THEM! He struggled more, tears blocked his view. He could see a faint green glow behind his teary blur. It was after midnight when the police returned to the park. This time to take statements. It was a long process, and the dog that had papyrus all wrapped would growl whenever someone they didn’t know got too close. He could feel it from the dog’s chest, the vibrations came through a metal plate so that narrows it down to either Lesser or Greater dog. The police either figured that they weren’t getting a statement from a deaf person or they were afraid of the dog he sat near. Whichever was fine with him because he didn’t want to talk to anyone, not that he could right now.

The Police were kind enough to watch over the rest of the clean up and then call taxis for safe travels home. Toriel, who held tightly onto Sans and refused to let an ambulance take him to a hospital, took the same taxi as papyrus. Bidding everyone  safe travels she went home with the brothers to look after them for the night. Praying that Sans would wake up from this mess. Papyrus didn’t speak a word the whole trip home, his mind was racing. Toriel could tell because of the way his jaw clicked rhythmically and he tapped his figures on his knee, never missing a beat. Toriel worried for both of the brothers, she was glad she didn’t call to have Asgore drop frisk off at the brother's because they might do more damage than good about now. She sighed and slipped the driver the money owed with a quiet thanks.

Entering the house sprung a fresh set of tears for the younger brother. Him and Toriel both stopped in the entry way after she shut the door, waiting a moment to see what the other would do. In the end Papyrus was the first to move. He grabbed the nearest wall and began to cry again. Not as loud as he did back in the park but louder than he might if he were able to hear.

“I’m…” Toriel lingered, she didn’t know what she would do. Papyrus needed help, but so did sans, he sure wasn't able to help himself.

“I’m going to put sans to bed” she spoke softly to Papyrus, knowing that he couldn’t hear it. Turning to him, she found him curled up in a ball on the floor leaned against the wall, his head in his hands gripping where his ears would be.  She sighed, gave him a sad look that she knows he wouldn't appreciate and proceeded up the stairs. Hugging sans close to herself she whispered;

“It’s going to be okay, its all going to be okay” She hoped it were true. Laying sans down on the mattress he'd gracefully flopped on the floor as a bed she pulled the blanket up around him, until she caught whiff of the stench.

“No, no that wont do. I’ll go clean your blankets and you’ll wake with fresh ones tomorrow” She threw sans’ blankets in the hall for her to pick up on the way down the stairs, racing into Papyrus’ room to grab a fresh blanket in the meantime. The ones in his closet were always clean. Bringing it back to Sans’ room she tucked him in and pat his head softly.

“Wake up soon, okay?” she whispered down at his sleeping form. She could still hear Papyrus’ whining and sniffs. She knew he was about run out of tears for the night, it was best to comfort him first. Closing the door behind her, she left the lights on to encourage  him to wake faster.

Downstairs Papyrus hadn’t moved, he was so scared that he would never hear again, he was so scared for himself and then he would start thinking about how selfish it sounded worrying about himself when his brother wasn’t even awake, which lead to more tears. He didn’t know anyone was near him until he felt a paw on his back, he opened his eyes in surprise but still couldn’t hear a word she said to him. He shook his head when she spoke to him. it only took her a minute but she understood and held up her hands, like frisk does when they have something important to say and you're not paying enough attention. She readies her hand and Papyrus nods willing to watch.

“You can’t hear anything, correct?” She signs to the frightened skeleton. Tears line his eyes again as he shakes his head no slowly, keeping eye contact.

“Papyrus, I think you may have temporary deafness, you can get it by being around a extremely loud noise like you were tonight” she finishes her thought. He doesn’t want to know why she’d know anything like that, unless Sans told her. Sans is really smart and- and- and he begins to tear up but Toriel snaps her fingers in his eye sight to get his attention again.

“Everything will be okay” she lifts a paw to his shoulder and leaves it there. Its comforting, the shoulder grip soon turns into a hug, which comforts Papyrus enough to let him fall asleep without a story.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Added 10/4/2016


	5. The oats with the dino eggs

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Halfway through the week!!
> 
> Happy Reading!
> 
> S.E.

Papyrus woke slowly, eyes adjusting to the darkness of his room. He debated letting his eyes close and snuggled back into his blankets. After a few minutes of tossing and turning he found that sleep was no longer a thing so he sat up and stretched, arms wide and fists clenched he felt his joints pop. Yawning, he covered his mouth and made a loud exaggerated sound; as he always does. Something he go from sans when he was younger. He did stop mid-yawn when he heard nothing. Not his yawning, or his joints popping. Oh he’d forgotten, that bomb from last night caused this. He hoped that his hearing would come back soon. Thinking about the bomb made him remember his brother which had him leaping from his bed and sliding on the polished wooden floors as he tried to grab hold of the handle to swing the door open.

Toriel must of stayed the night to look after him because she was at his door when he opened it. She tried to either ask him a question or strike up a friendly conversation, shaking his head no must have been the correct answer to whatever she was saying or at least one she was excepting. Pushing her slightly to the side, he tried to still be respectful she was the queen, he looked behind her waiting for sans to pop up. Confused, he slide by Toriel through the door and down the stairs. She followed him down, just as confused as to what he was looking for. She only realized after papyrus jumped into the kitchen, hands up in the air and a yelled ‘Boo!’, that He was looking for sans.

Toriel didn’t want to be the barer of bad news but she couldn't watch him stumble around the house looking for his brother either. She grabbed his shoulder from behind, startling him but grabbing his attention.

“Your brother isn’t down here” she signed calmly, mouthing the words along with the hand motions. Papyrus’ eyes watched both her hands and mouth move, she could tell because of the subtle head bobble he would do.

“WELL THAN, WHERE IS HE?” he shouted, still not being able to hear himself. He made a regretful face at Toriel’s sudden flinch at his own sudden loud voice.

“He is still sleeping child” she bent at the waist so she was more eye level, more out of habit for frisk than comfort for the both of them. Not that she was too much taller tan him.

 “He should wake soon, he slept all night” she signed again. Papyrus understood this, he nodded and a smile overcame his face.

“THEN I SHALL WAKE HIM!” he started off to his brother’s room, ready to see his brother pull the covers over his head like he does every morning when being woken.

“SANS! ITS TIME TO WAKE UP!” he knocked on the door twice out of courtesy but barged in, he wouldn’t of been able to hear a response anyway. Bounding over to his bother’s bed he dropped to the floor and grabbed him by his shoulders to rouse him.

“SANS ITS LATE IN THE DAY! YOU’VE HAD A LONG ENOUGH NAP!” he jostled him around a bit playfully but sans didn’t wake. He didn’t wear his usual grin either.

“SANS COME ON” he tried again, he MUST be loud enough to wake him. Pulling his hands away to cross them he saw dust. Is was a very thin layer that covered his hands but he saw it there. He took a moment to examine the powdery substance  that  covered his hands but he didn’t scream, he couldn’t. it must have been shock that locked his voice. It was his brother’s dust that he saw on his hands, his brother was falling down. He grew dizzy and become light-headed, he jumped to his feet and spun to the door to see Toriel standing in the doorway,  her mouth agape at the sight, one paw covering her mouth slightly. She couldn’t believe her eyes. Last time she had checked on Sans he had been fine, she even used some healing magic on him to help In a faster recovery. Papyrus thought back to the bomb, how he wished he’d known what it was. He wished he hadn’t called his brother over to inspect it for him, he’d more than capable of knowing these kinds of things so asking Sans was stupid on his part. Toriel hugged him, Papyrus could feel her chest rumble from the more than likely soothing things she were saying to him. The things she tried to speak to him didn’t keep him from over thinking the things he had or could of done differently.  He stood there, numb, for a while staring at the wall over Toriel’s shoulder, and even after she’d left to start some late lunch for the both of  them; leaving him and his bother alone in the room. Papyrus wasn’t hungry though, if anything he felt like throwing up. He collapsed back down by his brother’s bed side and took his hand. He pulled the hand to his cheek and held it there, as if it were sans doing the comforting and not himself. he sat there the entire time toriel cooked downstairs, she called up to him a few times and eventually came up stairs to fetch him. Upon arriving at the scene she stopped at in doorway.

“We’ll find a way to save you Sans, I promise” he whispered to his brother, legs crossed and focused on Sans’ face. The tall goat monster tripped over a clothes hamper placed near the door and grumbled under her breath, she was surprised when she looked up and saw that Papyrus had responded to the noise.

“Your hearing is back” she exclaimed happily “I’m so glad!” she clapped her paws together.

“Yeah” Papyrus whispered again “everything is really quiet right now, but I think it’s coming back” He smiled slightly, happy also that his hearing was returning. Of course he would give up his hearing completely if it meant sans would sleep no longer. He felt selfish for being happy about his hearing returning when his brother slept not 2 feet from him.

“Why don’t you come down for lunch? I made that oatmeal you like so much” She tried to get him to come down the stairs and take his mind off sans for a bit. It was best if he had time to process things before jumping into it.

“ah I think I’m going to stay here actually, your highness. T-thank you though” he smiled again at the kind gesture the queen had put forth, really he just wanted to lay his head down for a bit.

“I could bring some up here if you like, Sans would like to see you eat” She winced after the words left her mouth, was it too early to play the ‘Sans’ card? Papyrus narrowed his eyes at the bed, obviously not liking what had been stated but what had been said was said and she couldn’t take it back whether or not she wanted to. By the stinging look Papyrus was giving the bed sheets she wished she could.

“No. I’m not hungry, thanks” he stiffly stated, hearing coming back faster by the second. She may be the queen but what she had said was bold and ill-mannered. She nodded once in understanding and slowly back out of the room, closing the door behind her. Not that Papyrus was paying any attention to her anymore he’d had laid his forehead against the rough sheets of his brothers bed and was listening to his brother’s – unnecessary- breathing.

How dare she say what she’d said? It was almost as if she’d already sent him off! She wanted him gone! And what, was Papyrus next? His thoughts raced round in circles and in worries until he heard a small, poorly covered up sobbing behind the door. He‘d forgotten for a moment that she had already lost two people close to her, two children in fact. Were sans and Toriel not friends? Of course she were feeling upset about such things as well. He didn’t move to comfort her like she had done for him many times over since yesterday eve. He kept his head down and listened to Toriel’s cries and his brother’s slow breathing. He would give anything to not have this happen to his brother.

 He’d cried so much already, but he didn’t want to be comforted when he cried. He wanted to scream to the heavens to let things be alright, he wanted to cry to the moon and stars sans adores so much to please keep him with Papyrus. He wanted to throw things and break stuff and have no one hold him with soothing words. Papyrus wasn’t just sad, he was Angry. He was angry with sans for answering his dumb request to look at the contraption and at the man who placed it there and he was angry with himself for being so, so stupid; to be able to put them both in that position. He bit the sheets that laid under his head, thankful that toriel had recently washed them, and screamed into them. He screamed, cried and it felt like hours went by when he was finished. He knew it could only of been minutes because toriel was still sat outside the door and sans still looked like sans.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Added 10/5/2016


	6. His favorite book sits on the table

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I was gonna put this up yesterday, but i got distracted and then it got super late. So i just put up TCOGB and went to bed aha.
> 
> Technically i have like a shit ton of homework calling my name but you know what PROCRASTINATION! its practically my middle name. 
> 
> eh whatever haha Happy Reading!!
> 
> S.E.

Papyrus didn’t move for a long time. He sat there by his brother’s side until he heard Toriel move from the door, she moved around and made noise down in the kitchen for a while and then it went quiet. He didn’t know if she was watching Tv, went to sleep, hell he didn’t even know the time. Sans couldn’t keep his room straight for anything, so looking for a clock was just about useless. Papyrus couldn’t look out the window to check the time of day because no matter what time it was, it was always bright in the city. Street lamps and such. Besides all the crying made his eyes too sensitive to look out into the orange light of the street lamp now.

He laid with his cheek resting against his folded arms, kneeling beside the bed. Yeah it was a bit cramped and the room smelled like socks but it was his brother, how was he going to complain to a sleeping body? When he was younger, Sans never let him into his room. Story time and blanket forts were always in Papyrus’ room. Maybe it was because of the ‘organized chaos’ he called his room. Or maybe he didn’t want Papyrus to know how little he actually kept for himself? When he was a baby bones he knew they weren’t the most well off people around, he also knew Sans liked to spoil him rotten. He knew this because one day Sans left his bedroom door unlocked and Papyrus just HAD to see what he kept hidden behind his locked door! Maybe it was a Dragon! Or a Knight suit! Or a DRAGON in a KNIGHT SUIT! In his mind anything was possible. It was his brother’s room, the ‘forbidden room’. What could Sans possibly be hiding? Opening the door was a huge surprise, really, he was speechless. Instead of a dragon in a suit of armor he saw a mattress on the floor and a dresser. There wasn’t even anything to explore.

In his own room he had a racecar bed! And posters! And a desk for a computer he was looking at! Sans had a mattress and a dresser. How had he been so blind? He questioned himself, how could he of been so ignorant…So selfish? How else did he think they got by on so little yet he had so much? Toys? Decorations? A bed to sleep in? He stood for only a minute as all these thoughts passed through his mind. He was quick to slam the door shut, rush down the stairs and jump on the couch. He so badly wanted to never think of Sans, his older brother, living in such conditions again but he also knew that not thinking about something didn’t make it go away. He tried to think of ways where he could make it up to Sans, make him proud to be his older brother but none came to mind. He didn’t have any money and all the possessions he had were gotten for him, Sans wouldn’t like them. After thinking for some time he came to a slow realization that he could just return the favor. Take care of sans. He could cook for the both of them when Sans came home really late and do the chores when he slept in. Even though he knew he really didn’t like any of the chores that sans does like the dishes or vacuuming. He would just think that Papyrus was trying to help out and would never know that he stepped foot into his room!

He wonders if his brother would be mad now for being in his room. Papyrus studied the room he sat in now, it had a mattress and a dresser much like when he was younger, but Sans had also added a treadmill and a tall floor lamp he stood on the dresser. Papyrus didn’t even think that his brother even used the dumb work out machine, it just sat as a coat rack. It did its job, it had a blue sweatshirt and an orange one hanging from the box near the handles. Not much else besides whatever he keeps in the closet. Papyrus rubbed his eyes, with moving came a crick in his neck that he moved to nurse with the same hand. Twisting his head around the room showed nothing more than what he’d been staring at for the last unknown amount of time. His stomach gurgled, reminding him of his lack of nutrition. Toriel had been so kind to make him lunch and he’d been so rude to her. Another thing to tack onto his day, he felt guilty for snapping at her but still hurt from where she basically said she’d given up on Sans. He stood and crept to the door, opening it show that Toriel had indeed left where she had once been crying. Downstairs the Tv was off and the blanket folded back over the back of the couch. Rounding into the kitchen he saw that it too, was empty. Two Tupperware container with a note laid on the counter with his name on it. On the pink sticky paper it said:

                                **_Papyrus_** _,_

_I’ve made you some snail pie and fruit salad for dinner. Asgore had an emergency meeting and needed me to take Frisk. Call anytime if you need anything or if you just want to talk okay?_

_**Toriel**_

****

He didn’t look upon the note with too much glee. Was this how it was going to be from now on? Everyone stepping on eggshells around him now? He debated throwing the containers against the wall but his stomach protested. He picked both containers up in inspection. Placing the container with the pie in the fridge he brought the fruit salad out to the living room. What was the point of a fork and bowl if it was just him right? He flipped the Tv on, it played the last channel recently on. The Metta. Station. ALL METTATON, ALL DAY, EVERYDAY. He changed the channel, he wasn’t feeling like himself. He continued to flip through the channels until he got to one of the Spanish channels. It was a Daily soap re-run. Papyrus didn’t know Spanish but he wouldn’t mind learning. He’d thought about taking a language class at the community college, he thought it was a beautiful language. Today though, he just wanted something he couldn’t completely understand so he could veg out.

He popped the top to the fruit salad and picked out a chunk of watermelon…He thought they weren’t in season for a bit longer.. He shrugged and bit down on the juicy fruit, watching the story flip back and forth between the actors. He’d nearly finished the container in his mindless eating, he’d watched six episodes and could tell you exactly whats going on. Doesn’t help he started to get invested and turned the subtitles on halfway through the second episode.

He’d finally seen a clock when the seventh and final episode of the show’s mini-marathon started. It was midnight and he’d probably best get to bed before work tomorrow. He stopped in the middle of his getting up from the couch. WORK! Who would know about Sans? Would everyone know? Would Toriel of told them? His body felt heavy, picking himself off the couch the rest of the way. He cleaned up after himself slowly, putting the remnants of the salad away and turning the Tv off he started the stairs. Tomorrow he’d just call the day out. Easy fix! No one to bother him AND he could keep and eye on Sans.

Proud of himself and the conclusion he’d come to he took to the stairs and bounced up them. Probably the happiest he’d been all day. After pulling on his pajamas and picking out his book for the night he got nice and warm under the blankets and waited, not seconds later he remembered that there would be no story tonight. Papyrus didn’t move. He gripped the blanket up at his chin like he did every night, he couldn’t decide whether to try and sleep without a story or unravel himself from the blanket and grab the book to read himself. He sighed and flicked the light off, placing the book on the nightstand beside his bed. In the dark he kept wrapped tightly in his blankets and let his eyes lose focus on the wall next to his bed.

“Hop, hop, hop fluffy bunny goes. Down by the water, brr it’s cold…”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Added 10/9/2016


	7. Open the door, I'm already here

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> tra la la tri li li tre le le
> 
> Have a good week yeah?
> 
> Happy Reading!
> 
> S.E.

Papyrus called out the next day and enjoyed his first ever day off. Then he called out the next day. He REALLY liked that day off. There was no one to bother him or tell him what to do or how to do it. He sat on the couch all day. When he got hungry he finished the fruit salad for an extremely late brunch and after that some of the pie toriel had left a couple days ago for dinner. When he had finished the current and past two seasons of that new soap opera he was watching and the Tv began to bore him he muted it and stared off into space. The ceiling had an amazing pattern of swirls. They looked like white rainbows but..everywhere. How did the builders do that? Why would they do that? Its such a weird pattern. Does anyone go out of their way to request that pattern on their ceiling? He would ponder things he’d never thought about before, like why does his Tv have a last button that only goes back two channels? What if he wanted to keep going back? If the humans had been to the moon, who’s to say there aren’t more beings living out in space. Maybe even more monsters! Sans did like to talk about other dimensions a lot. Maybe there was another, spacer version of him and his brother! What a crazy thought!

He laid on his back for hours, not speaking a word. Sometimes he’d change position, he’d have one leg on the couch, knee up and let the other dangle off the front. Other times he’d get so close to the arm of the couch that his legs would dangle off. At one point he sat upside down on the couch, with his legs up on the back of the couch and his head hanging off the front. He watched Tv like that for a bit, the car commercials made his head hurt and Mettaton’s Quiz show had flashing lights that didn’t make it any better. Sans told him when he was younger that sitting upside down like he was on the couch would hurt him, Papyrus guessed he was right.

Papyrus understood now why sans would always just, hang out. It was relaxing. It felt like he didn’t have a care in the world right now, staring at the ceiling made him feel like everything was okay… for a second. Thinking about how things were okay reminded him that things were NOT okay and how his brother was upstairs falling down as he laid there in his silence. He hadn’t been in his brother’s room since toriel left. He made movement to get up, he was slower that he’d been before. The lack of training, ha training, they were already on the surface what did he need training for? The lack of training and work and moving generally probably is what was slowing him down. Papyrus is usually really active. He’s surprised he hasn’t had a call from the captain yet about missing work and his training.

Opening his brother’s door he could still smell socks. He made a face but entered anyway. Kneeling at his brother’s bedside he could see beads of sweat running down his face. It must have been a fever, magic overload will do that to you. With nowhere else to go the magic stays inside the body and rushes around looking for an exit, which creates heat in the body. Its basically the monster fever. Making his way into the upstairs bathroom, Papyrus filled the bowl with cool water and a clean cloth. Twisting the knob back into its off position he’d accidentally looked up and right into the mirror. Papyrus flinched at the sight of his own face, from the sweat on his own head it looked like he was running a fever too. His eyes had bags under them and if a skeleton could look dead he’d be the poster skele for it… Well besides the human skeletons because….they are dead..

He scowled at his face and his lame attempt at a joke. Pulling the full bowl from the sink, too fast, he watched it slosh back into the sink and onto the floor. He stared down a minute then decided against cleaning it up. It was just water, it would dry.  Back in his brother’s room he dipped and wrung out the cloth, placing it against his brother’s head he leaned back and listened to sans sigh out. It was relaxing to know that he could do something to comfort his brother, even if its just a little. He thought for a moment upon what sans would do to comfort him when he needed to relax. Sans would cook for him, but that wouldn’t do sans wasn’t awake to eat. Sans would tell funny jokes…Yes he’d admit they were funny, but Papyrus wasn’t very good with jokes. Papyrus thought a little bit longer, he knew that sans would read to him! Papyrus jumped up, the fastest he’d been in a few days and ran to his room to grab the physics book they’d been reading the night before the party. Sitting down again next to Sans he thought about the party, every time he did it brought up more ‘what ifs’. He shook his head and opened the book at the dog-eared page. To be honest, it frustrates him when he sees books that have been dog-eared; he can’t stand the sight of the creased page. He would prefer the cute bookmarks he buys at the book shop, the 3-D ones that make the kitten look like it’s moving when he tilts it up and down. Sans says he hates the sound when Papyrus scratches it.

“Chapter 8, angular momentum” Papyrus read straight from the book, understanding the math better after reading it than having it read to him.

“In quantum physics, magnetic moments are also proportional to angular momenta” reading through the chapter aloud proved to be difficult at times, the symbols and larger numbers were better read on the page than they were spoken but he tried his best. Some of the symbols he couldn’t even name if he wanted to.

He got through the chapter and with a swirling head and near numb mouth he chose to save the next chapter for tomorrow..er maybe he’d read a different book tomorrow. The amount of math material he’d gone through made him tired but his stomach gurgled before he’d thought about laying down. Placing the book in the floor beside the bed he stood and took the stairs down lightly. Really, there was no need to be quiet, he’d much rather sans wake up than stay asleep but it was habit to keep quiet while his brother slept. He’d barely made it to the kitchen entry when he heard a jingle. He froze in his steps and listened, it was his phone.

He had to look for his phone before he could answer it, thankfully the person kept the call going long enough so Papyrus could find it. The phone was stuck between the cushions on the couch, it must of fell down there when he’d been laying there earlier, or was it yesterday he lost his phone. The call went to voicemail but the caller called back again, whoever it was really wanted to talk to him. He answered without looking at the I.D.

“Nyeh..Hello?” he said slowly, he hadn’t paid attention to the number so it could be anyone calling. He really hoped it wasn't a telemarketer.

“PAPYRUS! Paps! Buddy!” Undyne excitedly shouted through the phone. “How are ya?”

“I’m..well” He responded slowly

“Good, good, hey listen” Undyne wasn’t good at beating around the bush “You’ve been missing work?”

“Ah yes, about that Undyne. I wanted to tell you I won’t be coming in tomorrow” Papyrus picked at the fibers on the arm of the couch, he’d sat down after taking the call.

“WHAT? Papyrus, are you alright?” she sounded like she was shifting something on the other end of the line.

“Yeah, no I’m fine!” he smiled while he said this so it would sound more real, of course he also smiled at his friend’s worry over him.

“I’m coming over” She spoke decisively and continued to shift things, something big by the sounds of it.

“No, Undyne I don’t need—“ he tried to keep her from coming over, he didn’t want anyone babying him in this situation. He groaned when she cut him off.

“I’m outside, open the door Paps.” She hung up and a loud clang could be heard from outside the front door.

Opening up Undyne barged her way in holding a giant stock pot, which held smaller things inside it like a smaller pot for cooking, meats and veggies.

“Undyne, whats all this?” he motioned to the things in hands but held his hands out to catch it when it seemed they had gotten to heavy for his friend. He lugged the pot in through the kitchen and set it on the counter, still no explanation from undyne he turned back to her.

“Well?” he pointed back over his shoulder to the items on the counter when he had turned to face Undyne again. She stood in his kitchen entry with a big grin.

“We’re making stew! You must be sick, with all the days you’re taking out!” Making her way to the counter she began to unload the pot and took a second to glance around. “Wheres sans at though?”

Papyrus didn’t say anything, he didn’t want her to be sad or be afraid to say the wrong thing. He didn’t speak but apparently the silence had been loud enough for Undyne. Her unpacking the stock pot slowed, and then stopped, she turned her head to look at Papyrus’ lowered one.

“Lets go take a look at him, yeah?” she nodded her head towards the stairs, even though he’d just been up there he followed her back up to his brother’s room. She didn’t hesitate to lead him to sans room, a place where only him and of course sans had ever been. That could mean one thing. Toriel had been talking and Undyne knew about sans.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Added 10/10/2016
> 
> (Naruto's fucking birthday guys, happy birthday Naruto! Naruto is one of my favorite mangas tbh)


	8. Lies are unacceptable

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wow, its been a bit huh? 
> 
> Its not me I swear its the classes keeping me away from updating!! haha
> 
> At least its here now 
> 
> Happy Reading guys!
> 
> S.E.

Papyrus lingered in hall besides Sans’ open bedroom door. He neither entered nor looked in. He didn’t know what Undyne was doing to his brother. She could have been smothering him for all Papyrus knew but still he didn’t enter. The last thought made him worry, even though he knew Undyne wouldn’t do anything to harm Sans. Papyrus wouldn’t allow it. He laid his arms across his torso in a hug and leaned his back against the wall next to the frame of the door, studying the floor and the patterns the carpet made. His head popped up when he had heard her footsteps near she exited the room silently the door slightly ajar. Usually Papyrus would ask something along the lines of ‘JEEZ! Grow up in an animal infested wooden house?!’. He knew the word he was looking for was barn but everyone thought Papyrus’ explanation was funnier so that’s what stuck. She didn’t say anything, walking slowly back towards the kitchen as if in shock herself. She was usually really loud and.. dare he say it.. obnoxious sometimes. Following her down the steps moments later he found her in his kitchen at the big pot once more. She still hadn’t said a word. She kept unpacking the stockpot and began chopping away at potatoes and onions, throwing them into the bigger pot. He wasn’t as huge about smashing and punching her food as she once was underground. Since coming to the surface she had done her share of watching cooking shows and she was sorely surprised when she found out that smashing the tomatoes is not how to make sauce.

“Undyne?” Papyrus called out cautiously from the other side of the table that sat in the middle of the kitchen. He fiddled with and tugged on his fingers, it was a nervous habit really. He’d forgotten his gloves this morning, he probably couldn’t even say where they were off the top of his head. He assumes they’d be at his bedside from when he took them off for bed.

“He’ll be alright, wont he?” his face lifted in a small, hopeful smile.

 He watched her back go tense and stay that way while she thought of something to say to him. He already knew a few of the possible answers to spill from her mouth, it was the same with everyone. She could be a lie she spat through teeth that both of them knew Papyrus would see through. As if so as to try and help him sleep better at night, though he knew it wouldn’t or she could tell him the truth. People often tried to baby him, treat him like he was still a child so probably nine times out of ten it was a lie he would receive.  The people around him thought that rather than tell him the truth, a lie to keep him innocent is better. He didn’t know how old he was, monsters lived so long it wasn’t really necessary to keep track, but he had long outgrown his stripped shirts. He continued pulling at his fingers as Undyne fidgeted in front of the counter.

Undyne turned and leaned her back into the counter, her leaning back caused the pot to move and make a terrible metal sound. While she searched for the right words Papyrus focused for a second on the more than likely scratched counter top. Her eye stuck looking at the ground, shifted side to side as if she were reading something. The waiting game was beginning to thin Papyrus’ patience. He knew from the length of her silence that she was just looking for a lie that would fit this situation perfect enough that Papyrus couldn’t question it. He wouldn’t have that. He wouldn’t be lied to again, not by his friends and definitely not about his brother.

“What about Alphys? She is a doctor, isn’t she?” his voice got jittery and fast as he spoke. He felt adrenaline rush through his body as he began to hope for a second that Alphys could do something.

“I mean, yeah she is but-“ she stumbled a bit over her words, wide eyed and surprised by his outburst, usually he waits for the intricate white lie she cooks up for him.

“So get her here now! She can fix Sans and then everything will be alright!” He began rambling about how Sans would go back to making his puns and he could go back to hating those puns.

He could continue to bake for his brother and how he and sans would sit in front of the tv and eat baked goods all day. He would never leave Papyrus’ sight again! Undyne listened to his ramble, she smiled slightly but she couldn’t keep from noticing how happy he looked and she hated, HATED to be the one to tell him that Alphys just wasn’t the type of doctor that Sans needed. But she also wouldn’t lead him on with this false hope. Taking a breath, she stopped the skeletons rambling when she spoke again.

“Alphys, she’s a numbers and chemicals kinda doctor Paps. She won’t be able to help him” she slowly made her way across the kitchen to rest a hand on Papyrus’ shoulder and hopefully make him see the truth before he got himself too worked up.

Papyrus’ body got a shock of cold and his heart fell flat. He knew it was stupid to get his hopes so high up, Alphys helped keep the core running, she didn’t mess with medicine! He knew she wasn’t that kind of doctor and he felt stupid for even thinking Alphys could help. Undyne’s hand laid on his shoulder a minute before she turned back to the counter more energized, he didn’t know where she had all this energy, is that how other people saw him when he bounced into a room? He felt tired just watching her in her new excitement. Stepping up beside her he put up a face to hopefully please his captain and helped her cut up the vegetables and the meat. He really preferred not to eat meat if he could help it, he didn’t even know what kind this meat was. His stomach made a sound and turned at the thought, Undyne must of mistook it for hunger and excitedly yelled when it was finished. She called it a stew, the gravy was thick and brown in color. Beef stew she called it? That would make it cow meat then right? He didn’t say anything when she served him a bowl, he sat behind it at the table and watched her gulp down the hot stew.

 Thinking about eating a cute little cow made his stomach turn more, he couldn’t look at the chunks of dark brown meat that swirled around in his bowl. He picked around them and ate the vegetables instead. Undyne didn’t notice, she was took busy talking about what had happened at work in his absence. She talked past a second helping and through washing the dishes in the sink. While watching her do the dishes Papyrus cleaned up the kitchen so as to make it a little more presentable in case of any more surprise guests. Maybe he just wont answer the door should there be a next time. She continued talking while putting the rest of the stew in the fridge for Papyrus to eat later.

“Aplys and I watched this thing last night, a show about how this guy who was a spy; so cool right?! And he did something to his employer and made them mad so they dropped him and now he’s out for revenge against his employer!” She laughed and raved about this show “ Ex-spys gonna get cha!”

She dropped her dish rag and pushed herself up against the wall holding her hands up in a gun, pretending to be looking around a corner. She continued playing by kneeling down on a knee, holding out her ‘gun’ and making shoot sounds at Papyrus.

“Revenge huh?” Papyrus stopped his wiping motions, the cleaning rag that was in his hand sagged slightly, damp from washing the table as he rose his hand to his chin. Getting a whiff of the rag and the cleaning supply on it he quickly threw it back down.

“YEAH!” She continued to go on about the show, apparently the episode they had watched was only the pilot but she couldn’t wait to watch more.

 He tuned her out easily enough as his thoughts turned more towards what she had said the spy had been doing. Revenge huh? What if.. What if he could find that man that put that bomb under the table? What if he could just talk to him? Try to understand why he did it? Would he be sorry for what he did? Is he already in jail? He could ask the police, they did file a report, they had statements and everything! He smiled, proud of himself. That’s what he would do. He would look for this man.  It couldn’t really be called revenge seeing as he didn’t really want to hurt the man but maybe just speaking with him would make him feel guilty for his action.

Undyne continued to pretend and when looking up she saw that Papyrus’ face had become a little brighter. Probably thinking it was of her doing she spoke of a new anime movie Alphys wanted to watch and how she really needed to be going. Still stuck in his head Papyrus waved her off after showing her to the door. He decided that the police was the best place to start.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 11/27/2016


	9. Hold my hand

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Whoo hoo! two parts!
> 
> I'm glad to be back with these! even though the holiday season is quickly approaching.
> 
> Happy reading guys!!
> 
> S.E.

Papyrus waited a good bit of time after his friend left before locking up and exiting the house. He made sure to check up on sans before leaving, even going so far as to lock his brother’s door and pocket the key. If his brother woke while he was out he figures he’d be too tired to rise from the bed and know that its locked anyway. He’d set up a puzzle in his living room but knowing that Toriel and Undyne had a key to his front door he figured I was best not to. He double checked and triple checked the door’s lock after throwing on his long jacket and scarf. The weather lately hadn't been the greatest, the skies were grey and the air cooler thanks to the gusts of wind. 

His trip downtown was as eventful as usual, snide remarks and racial slurs were sent his way a long with side looks that would send a chill down any monster’s back. He always hated passing this on bar in particular, Shelby’s Liquors and Grill. The owner was nice enough and the outdoor waitresses were kind but the people who frequented the bar could be anything but polite. They often threw bottles at him, or any monster that he’d seen walk by, they liked to yell at him to go back where he belongs; sometimes they’d make horrible comments about getting on his knees and – 

He didn’t like the place, or passing by it. Ever. Sans would always try to venture out when Papyrus did so he didn’t have to endure the rude people by himself but sadly sans wasn’t here today. He held his head high and kept his eyes forward, not reacting to any of their comments. He nearly passed the whole building until he heard one comment from a table on the patio in particular that nearly set him off.

“Wheres your little bitch today, Filth?” One burly man with a unshaven face and glassy eyes stood, bottle reading for the throwing oblivious to the amount of liquid left. “Left im home to to the laundry?” He and his table laughed causing the rest of the patio to turn and look.

“Maybe he died” a woman that sat across from the standing man jeered. She had muscles that rivaled Undyne’s. “There was that thing at the park days ago or whatever” She trailed off into her beer bottle, head tilted far enough back to get the last mouthful.

“Oooh” The first man drawled, his gut jiggling as he laughed again “So he’s the one I heard about” He took a swig from his bottle.  
Papyrus stopped, glaring at the man he griped the iron decorative fence that separated him from the man. 

“What do you know about the man that planted that bomb?!” he gripped the fence tighter, face twisted in anger. The man shuffled out from the table where he had been sitting between another man and an older version of himself.

“I know of him” His steps were swayed, making his way to the fence he griped the iron too. “But its gonna cost ya” 

“What is it you want?” the determined face he held aslo showed how much he wasn’t thinking clearly.

“What do I want?” He chuckled, looked back at his table with an evil smile and turned back to whisper against the side of Papyrus’ skull. “I want you to suck my dick.” He laughed, Alcohol smelling breath filling up the immediate area between them. “And when you’re finished hows about helping ralph over there? He’s been a bit lonely since his wife left him.”

Papyrus jumped back, nearly shoving the man in the process. He couldn’t even if he’d wanted to, He’d get in too much trouble and end up sitting in a cell as opposed to getting the information he wanted. So instead, with a disgusted look on his face and the blush streaked across it he rushed down the sidewalk. He could hear the mans laughter echo down the street, and two streets over he could hear it ring in his head. He couldn’t believe in the second between the man speaking and his jumping back that he had thought about it. Theres nothing to think about he’d shout in his mind over and over, NO was the correct answer and he’s glad he didn’t stick around any longer than he did because then the man would know he was thinking about it. And from that even worse taunts would find their way from the nasty mans mouth every time he tired to walk down the road. Besides he wasn’t THAT desperate. Yet.

The steps that lead him into the building he searched for were steep and intimidating. He thought about turning back but that would mean passing by that bar again and he really didn’t want that. While he stood at the bottom of the stairs he was passed by 20 people. Some had children they were carting down the steps, one was a man who looked banged up and bruised, he refused to look up from the ground as he entered. Some people gave Papyrus nasty looks and awful words while others greeted him kindly with smiles. A pair of police officers exited the station and ran towards a vehicle up he street, taking off faster than the speed limit on the road permitted. A blonde officer stopped and asked if there was anything she could do for the skeleton. His eyes met hers, she had the kindest smile he’d seen that day. Nerves keeping Papyrus from answering she asked again reaching for him.

“Ah! No! I-I’m fine, I mean actually no I’m not fine I-“ He took a step back with his hands up. Looking everywhere but where she was he felt his breathing quicken “I-I didn’t mean to-“   
She stopped him, hand retreating back to her side.   
“It’s alright sir, just take some deep breaths okay?” she encouraged by taking some deep breaths of her own. He didn’t know when he started to hyperventilate but focusing on her breathing was easier to do than focusing on his own.

“That’s great! You’re doing great!” She praised him “Whats your name?”

“Uh um” he stumbled, voice not entirely returned “It’s Papyrus, miss”

“Papyrus! That’s a great name!” she continued to speak in a low, encouraging tone. “My name is Cameron, why don’t we go inside Papyrus? Take a seat and get you some water?” She reached out for him again, meaning to wrap an arm around him. He instead took her hand in his own and nodded.

She didn’t linger on and hand that held her own, nor did she seem disgusted. She lead him inside and to a desk one floor up and all the way in the back. He felt intimidated by the other officers and the lack of monster kind. What if he had made a mistake? Maybe searching blindly is what he should of done instead of follow this kind human to the dark corner of the large room. His mind was so far into space that he didn’t notice the light of her desk lamp when she turned it on or when she rolled her chair over by the one Papyrus was meant to sit in. She made motion to release his hand, so as to sit more comfortably. Papyrus squeezed the retreating hand, not letting go. She didn’t sigh or grumble, she tightened her grip slightly to show that she didn’t have plans on anywhere. He had just about calmed down when a rushing officer the next desk over slammed his phone down, opened a drawer and slammed it back again. 

Papyrus flinched, releasing officer Cameron's hand and shielded his head with both arms. Hyperventilating again, the officer spoke in that calm voice she had used before telling him how things were okay and to count backwards from ten. As many times as he Counted, it didn’t seem to work. He counted over and over, faster and faster each time but the sounds in the room kept getting louder. Slamming of desk drawers and yelling echoed in his skull, shaking his head he felt his chest tighten and the world blur. He didn’t really need to breath but the excess breaths he took in made the room spin.

Cameron pulled on the skeleton’s arms gently, not to pull away his shield from the world but to guide him to the nearest interrogation room. He followed close behind, ignoring the looks he got from surrounding people and officers. 

The door shut quietly behind him, Cameron made sure to keep the room as quiet as possible by pulling the metal chair out gently instead of scraping it along the floor.  
“Have a seat” she called out to Papyrus who stared blankly down at the chair. When he didn’t she left and returned with a pitcher of water and a small paper cup. She offered the water and Papyrus took it hesitantly, sniffing it before taking a large sip leaving the cup empty. He didn’t know why he felt the need to sniff the water, maybe something he picked up from Undyne about checking for poison. Or maybe it was from a movie.

“Would you like some more?” she reached for the cup in preparation and poured when he nodded. He drank the cup empty again. Finally able to find his seat she took her own across the table.

“What brings you here today,Papyrus?” Leaning a bit over the table her hair came down over one shoulder, the blonde Bun slouching. She must have hair as long as Undyne’s, he studied her face. Her brown eyes reflected the White LED lights. She shifted in her seat the metal jumped across the floor when she pulled it closer to the table.

“I-I uh” He pulled at his fingers under the table “I came here today because.. b-because uh” It seemed like all he could do was stutter over his words, Cameron looked as if she didn’t mind so he took another breath and started again.

“I’m here because I want to know if you’ve caught the man responsible for that bomb” the room was silent.

“Oh, you’re the one that found it huh? I don’t think we ever got a statement from you.” She pulled out a notepad and a small pen, and laid them on the table. She scribbled something on the top of the first page.

“Okay, what do you remember of that night?”


	10. Whatever it takes

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ohhh i'm so sad i decided to use underline for sign instead of italics haha damn 
> 
> Hope you're having a good week guys!
> 
> It's longer today! Happy reading guys!
> 
> S.E.

Papyrus lifted his arms, rested his elbows on the table and made a sound close to the clearing of a throat.

“That night was” his mind played memories of that night like a movie on a big screen. He saw flashes of the white explosion, toriel and the others hovering over him and that mans delighted face. The thoughts brought back a ringing in his head that he couldn’t shake away. He brought his right hand up to his skull, gripping tight in hopes of making the sound disappear.

Cameron touched the top of his other hand, reminding him that he wasn’t at the park, that it wasn’t even dark. He cracked his eyes open, colored dots littered his sight.

“we had fun” he talked about baking cookies the previous night, and how his brother loved his baking more so then Papyrus did himself. With teary eyes he went through their routine that morning, how shoes are much easier to put on if you’re sitting down and how jerry showed up when nobody wanted him to.

“What did the poor guy do to for everyone to dislike him?” she snickered “He can’t be that bad a guy?”

“He’s terrible, I mean I try not to hate anything but jerry is just a nuisance” He rambled, waving hands around eccentrically, on about getting cornered by the guy and trying to escape the awkward conversation. “He even ate all the cheese puffs!”

She laughed again, the skeleton seemed more lively she didn’t want to ruin the start of his good mood but she really did need the rest of the story.

“What happened next?” she scribbled more information down on her notepad, staring some notes she found important.

“The celebration went on like any other party, we celebrated and played normal games you’d play in a park.” He slouched back in his chair and crossed his arms loosely, becoming more comfortable. “Sans made terrible jokes and I tried not to laugh at them”

“What about at the end of the night? What happened then?” she made eye contact and they stared at each other for a moment. The room silent again.

“Sans..he…we were helping clean up, its only the kind thing to do after a party.” He explained, shifting forward and pulling at his fingers again. “I was taking down a table near the trees, I know that if I hadn’t said anything sans would be fine but.. I-I called him over… The bomb was strapped to the bottom of the table.” He stopped, taking in a shaky breath.

“Yeah? So you called your brother over..?” she flipped to a new page, scribbling on the top of that page and looking up once more.

“Yeah, I called him over. I asked what it was, stupid right?” He wiped his eyes with his sleeve and continued. “He said we should get away but I argued with him” Tears fell like rain.

“Hey, hey.. you aren’t stupid” Cameron soothed

“I AM!” he slammed a first down on the table, startling the officer. “IF IT HADN’T BEEN FOR ME HE’D BE OKAY!” he took in a shaky breath “..If it hadn’t been for me he wouldn’t be falling” he broke down into sobs. Cameron’s heart still thumped loudly in her ears but she let Papyrus know that they would catch whoever it was that did this. She knew she wasn’t supposed to promise anything to anyone but she made an exception just this once. She felt the need to let this monster know that she would do whatever in her power, what little she might have, to help find the person who hurt Papyrus’ brother.

“We’ll find him Papyrus. He’ll go to jail and you’ll never have to worry again” He wanted nothing more than to believe that.  Another page flipped and she asked about the man’s appearance. He recalled a man in an untucked collared shirt and unkempt brown hair.

“A dress shirt? Or was it more like a polo?” The officer clicked her pen a few times.

“A polo? I think? He also had really patchy facial hair” He scratched at his head, pleading with himself to just remember. “He was shorter than I, and wasn’t very muscular”

Cameron knowing that most people were shorter than the skeletal monster the height information he had given her didn’t help her too much but she wrote it down anyway. She wished the sketch artist hadn’t called in sick today.

Papyrus, from what she saw across the table, was a mess. Tear tracks shined on his cheeks and his sleeves damp with the stray ones he’d wiped away. If he had a nose she figures it’d be running. She’d just pulled the skeleton a fresh tissue from the box on the table when her boss Jackson bust in demanding to know why she wasn’t at her desk. Mid-sentence though he saw why she wasn’t at her desk and ask if she had ‘taken the monster’s statement yet’.

“Yes sir, I’ve got it all right here!” she held up her note pad with one hand, her other clicked the pen she was holding.

“Good” The slightly over-weight man grunted in return. Turning his body to more face Papyrus she spoke directly to him. “I know your kind and our kind haven’t mixed well, some don’t take too kindly to you monsters” He sounded gruff while he spoke but not mean. “My wife, she ah, well let’s just say she wasn’t there to greet you coming out of the mountain” He snickered at something like an inside joke. “But my daughter, Lucy, she is something else. She’s in college, she was right outside city hall the other day demanding things for you. Things like voting and marriage.”

Jackson got a fa away look in his grey eyes that seem to soften the more he thought about his daughter and what she seemed to be doing for monster-kind. Papyrus stunned, he had known that these protests were going on, and yes that human were attending but the police chief’s daughter even? Were they so special?

“She believes you’ll do good, that you are good. Great even. So If she believes it, I believe it too” Jackson took steps closer to where Papyrus sat and raised his hand out for a handshake. “I’m going to do everything in my power to find this bomber.”

Papyrus was shaken by his words, he couldn’t believe that the chief was on his side. His hand was slow and shaky as it rose from his lap and laid lazily in the other’s. Jackson’s grip was tight and his shake was furious but it was a promise made and a promise, Papyrus hoped, he intended to keep.

The chief’s grip slackened, and fell away. Jackson stepped back and addressed the blonde officer.

“Remember to send me your report on that body last night” He shuffled his way to the room’s exit, pulled the door open and paused before stepping out. “I want this too” the door shut behind him a bit harder than Papyrus imagined than he meant it to.

 “I should get going” he buttoned his jacket and pulled the scarf tighter.

“Let me drive you” Cameron insisted, rising from her seat she opened the door for the skeleton. Papyrus hummed and hawed not sure about accepting the ride but weighing the pros and cons he decided that a ride home would be a lot safer and faster than walking home, and even if he lived nearer by the light in the sky had just about disappeared.

“Great! Let me go get my things” She left the room to Papyrus, he glanced to his left and saw the reflective glass. He had bags under his eyes, the color of his bones looked a faded grey. His reflection surprised even himself.

The ride home was short, even so he still did a lot of talking today which led Papyrus’ head to nod. The officer drove slow so she could see the numbers on the buildings but still managed to drive a house or two past before she realized her mistake. Turning around, she stopped right in front of the house. She cleared her throat, catching Papyrus’ attention.

“Here, this is my card.” He took a small, white card with the name Cameron Ramirez in big bold, blue letters. Below was information like her extension, her email and the address which the station was located. “In case you need to call me, or you know the station”

“Thanks” He studied the card as he exited her car. He didn’t mean to seem rude, he was just extremely tired.

She waited on the street until he had made it to the top of the stairs. He turned and waved her off, she honked and waved as she drove away. He sighed, he was grateful to have her help but felt bad for unloading his dirty laundry onto her. He pulled out his keys to unlock the door, when the key wouldn’t turn anymore than is had already been turned he got a chill down his spine.

Someone was in his house! He froze, eyes wide. He pulled the key back and slowly opened the door, peeking into the dark house he saw nothing gone or moved. He almost thought that he had left the door unlocked himself, cursing himself for not locking the door before he shut and locked it. Checking and coming back to recheck after a few steps away and some self-doubt. Satisfied with the door he lowered his coat onto the couch, comfortable in his scarf. Taking his shoes off at the bottom of the stairs he climbed to the top. Pausing at a light which filtered from underneath the door to his brother’s room. The need to sleep disappeared, he neared his brother’s room with a bone in hand. He pushed on the door, making a creak that killed his element of surprise. Jumping into the room he saw the young human, Frisk, tending to his brother. Their sleeves rolled up to their elbows.

“Ah! Human! Err Frisk!” he hastily hid the bone in his hand behind his back, letting it disappear. Frisk waved back at the stunned monster. His shock set aside, the need for rest set back in. He made his way over to his brother’s bedside and crouched next to the small child.

“Uhh human? What are you doing here? You know, it’s not very kind to sneak into other people’s home and scare them” Frisk soaked the cloth from sans’ forehead in a fresh bowl of water, they took their time ringing the cloth out and replacing it to sans forehead before replying.

“Mom told us that sans wasn’t doing too good” They signed, not needing to crane their neck to view Papyrus. “She said he got hurt at the party. Said you were hurt too”

Papyrus was a bit sour that Toriel felt the need to inform everyone about his personal business, even made a face that expressed how he felt about it for a short minute but he was grateful that he had such caring friends. He sat down on his rear, legs crossed beneath him like when he was in grade school and enjoyed the quiet. He watched Frisk care for his brother like he was their own kin. It made him smile, glad that he had met the human. He rested his head on his closed fist, elbow on his knee and begun to drift off. Knowing that Frisk was there helped him nap. He only slept for what felt like a few seconds before the child shook him awake. He startled awake, eye glazed over from lack of sleep. Frisk tapped his shoulder once more to grab his attention and speak.

“Will sans be okay?” they asked hopefully “he’ll come out of this right? He has to”

Papyrus looked over his brother, noting the greyish color his bones were taking on too, for a different reason of course. His thoughts came back to frisk, yes they were a child and yes, children are meant to be innocent, ignorant to this kind of stuff like death. Still, he felt that lying to the child would do the same thing Undyne had just tried on him earlier. It would get the both of them no where but a bit hopeful for a while and then they’d have to watch those hopes get smashed.

“Human..” he started sadly, he really didn’t want to the one to tell them the truth but he also rather it come from him instead of Undyne. “Sans is….Sans is dying” The child gaped, tears forming in their eyes. He wanted to cry too, he wanted to cry until the earth they currently lived on exploded.

“Sans only has 1 HP, and the damage he took from that bomb back at the celebration must of hurt him enough to put him in this state.” Frisk slammed their fist into the carpet, making a dull thud sound.

“NO! there has to be something we can do!” they signed quickly, hands shaking from nerves. _“Maybe if we get mom to-“_

“That won’t work, she’s already tried” he sighed tiredly, eyes drooping. Turning around, slouching tired, he sat against the bed, and rubbed at an eye.

“what about a human doctor?” they signed frantic _._ “Maybe a human doctor will know! They’ve been studying in magic!” their eyes shifting fast between Papyrus and the sleeping sans.

“Nobody knows why this happens human. It just does. One day this will happen to me too” Part of him wished for sooner rather than later, another part knew it was wrong to wish for such a thing. As of late he often wondered what it felt like to fall down. Was it a restful sleep? Would he be able to hear his friends cry over his dusting body? Can sans hear anything they said? In this moment he hoped that sans could hear nothing.  Not the terrible things about falling down, Frisk crying or himself sobbing.

“What?! You’re gonna fall down too?”  tears rolled down their cheeks at the thought. Both of their friends could be gone in a year, or a month or tomorrow! Their soul hurt at the thought. They gripped their shirt where their soul is. The thought of leaving his friends scares him too.

“No, I’m not gonna fall down silly human” He hadn’t meant it to sound like he was on his death bed. He also didn’t mean to be the cause of the human’s tears. He opened his arms for a hug that Frisk didn’t refuse. They crawled up in his lap and gripped the tall skeleton’s shirt in a fist. Their tears ran and got soaked up by said shirt but neither cared at this moment in time. Papyrus held tightly onto his human friend, letting them cry themselves to sleep. The hours ticked by with no chance of sleep for the skeleton. He watched the sky turn from the darkest black to an early morning orange, his alarm for work would go off soon but he didn’t plan on going. He shut his phone off and tried to get some rest. He and the human slept as soundly as possible for the next few hours.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 12/6/2016


	11. Low man

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I swear Its not cancelled or on hiatus, It just takes a bit when I haven't got them all typed up and ready to go lol
> 
> Super sorry about that, But I LOVE all the comment and kudos Its been getting!! you guys are too cool!! comments make my day!! <3
> 
> KEEP BEING AWESOME!!
> 
> Happy Reading!!  
> S.E.

The office was a mess. It wasn’t out of the ordinary, she was just noticing it now more since she felt much more useful out in the field than she did shuffling paperwork. She tapped away at the keys, taking notes on stolen item the person at her desk was explaining. In great detail.

“It has this ding on the side, that’s how I know it’s mine and not hers you see; and the color is more of a sea foamy blue as opposed to a – “  The man continued to drawl on. He’d lost his keys somewhere and for the life of him he can’t remember where they were. He had seen them last when he and his wife were out on a date at the coffee shop this morning. They’re stolen he assumes and he wants them back immediately.

“Is there any chance your wife may have picked them up? You know to make sure you didn’t forget them?” The officer clicked the pen she’d picked up while listening to the man speak. Tipping her chair back she tried so hard to keep eye contact with the angry man and not let her gaze wander off.

“HEY! Don’t you know ignoring your elders is disrespectful?” He scowled “ And no, to answer your question, she would not of just picked my keys up” he imitated her voice. While trying her best to keep interested, Cameron also tried her best to keep from saying anything unsavory.

“Well, why not? She’s your wife right? Why wouldn’t she grab your keys if she thought you might forget them?” she shrugged, her keyboard clicked with more notes.

“Because they’re mine!” he gestured to himself. “Why would she touch MY keys when she had her own?” He made a nasty face to her. She nodded, looking like she agreed but completely baffled by the man.  His mouth moved to continue speaking but his cell phone rang. He pulled it from his long coat pocket and flipped it open. It appeared to be one of those phones where the numbers were as big as your thumb and only held about 3 contacts but she couldn’t be sure.  Fitting it next to his ear he held his cane out before him.

“Yeah? What Marsha?” His face slowly went from the grumpy look he held to moment he entered to a confused dazed look and then a something of an old grin. “Ah thanks then” He clapped the phone shut and made eye contact once more.

“That was my wife” He grunted “She found my keys in her purse” He returned the phone to his pocket and gripped the handle of the cane with both hands.

Now, Cameron wasn’t the type to say I told you so but. “So she grabbed them then?” Inside half of her wanted to jump and yell and laugh but the other half was calm and embarrassed for the man.

“Yeah…I guess I’ll be going then” She stood with the man to balance him should he need the help. “Thanks for entertaining this old coot” He chuckled and was on his way.

She waved him off until he was no longer in sight. She then dropped back into her chair, looking around at all the other desks who were either empty or occupying someone who needed help. The man she just encountered wasn’t very nice but he got what he needed in the end and for that she was proud to do what she did. Yeah she might have been lowby on the ladder for a while, a long while actually. The people from the nearby sandwich place still knew her name and often asked how the crew at work were.

 Sighing, she closed her eyes, for the past few days whenever she did all she saw was that skeleton’s frightened face. She hoped he was doing alright. She couldn’t really do anything until he called her, sure she knew where he lived but that’s a bit strange isn’t it? The cop you talk to for a couple hours coming to your house and asking how you’re doing? She guesses it could sound weirder but she doesn’t want to chance it. For right now she just wanted to take a deep breath and relax, if only for a –

“HANNAH! ADAM! EZEKIEL! IN MY OFFICE NOW!” every phone on the floor rang off the hook, the second and third lines blinked, waiting to be picked up. She shot up, grabbing her gun and badge from the bottom drawer and slamming the drawer closed. Ready to run out the door she waited for the chief’s orders. Everyone who wasn’t answering the phones were stock still, tense and ready. Minutes ticked by and the three detectives and the chief exited his office, he addressed the crowd.

“THERE HAS BEEN A SECOND BOMBING” He shouted over the phones, and the sounds of loud whispers to the back of the floor. “I NEED SQUAD 7,8,9,15, AND 23 OVER THERE STAT” To the others left he told them to be on call for others around the city.

A SECOND bombing? Cameron asked herself If this was the second then there was a first and if she knew anything about probability than she knew the chances that this was an attack on monsters was high.

“Chief!” she pushed against the small crowd of officers leaving to reach the office door just as he closed it. She knocked on the glass of the window, hoping he was close enough to hear it over the noise. Luckily a quiet ‘Come in’ was heard on the other side.

“Chief, you gotta let me go help” she tried to calm her breathing, the thought of going against her higher ups made her nervous but she knew she had to be there.

“I don’t gotta do nothing, specially not for a newby. Get back to your desk, Ramirez” flopping back own into his chair he sighed, shuffling some papers around.

“Sir, please! I know I can help! Papyrus told me exactly what the bomb looked like so I can help figure out if they’re connected!” she pleaded, she desperately wanted to be on this case, to help in any way she could.

“I think you’re becoming a bit too invested, officer” He straightened his back “Go sit back down and take a break”

“But! But sir! Papyrus has told me-“

“Yes, and its also in the report you have yet to place in front of me.” He countered, He face went from stern and annoyed to soft and kind. “I know we said we’d help this fellow out, but we have 65 other open cases right now. We can’t just pick and choose who we help.” Taking a deep breath, folding his hands he continued “If you wish to continue this case after I’ll allow you, but go home Cameron. Go home and rest for a few days. You haven’t left this place in days.”

Cameron couldn’t believe what she was hearing, she was getting sent home? What would she do? Twiddle her thumbs until she could return? Gently she placed her gun on the desk before her senior and thanked him quietly before finding herself traveling though the garage to her car.

She drove slowly passed the bar near his house, she knew it was somewhere around- AHA! There it was! She watched it creep away in the rear view. Pulling into the closest drive way, Cameron turned around in the street and parked in front of his house, like she had a few days before. Sitting there, 20 minutes passed before she made the decision to leave the car and make her way up the steps. It felt like a crawl, how slow she was going but before long she was standing before the door with nothing to say. Before her mind could think so far as something to say when the door opened her hand rose and knocked three times. The wood was solid and made a hard sound that echoed in her head for a moment.

The door creaked open slowly, like someone was having a hard time opening it.

“Hello Mr. Papyrus! I just dropped by to…uh..?” she trailed off when the door had opened but there was no one in her line of sight. A hand pulled on the sleeve of her civilian clothes that she’d changed into before leaving the office. Down where the hand had come from was a child.

“Hello, are you lost?” she crouched down to meet eye-to-eye with the child. They shook their head, making movements with their hands she could only figure was sign language.

“oh, sorry, I actually don’t.. know.. sign..” she sighed to herself, why couldn’t she be more useful.

“Frisk! Dear whos at the door?” a voice came from around the corner in the kitchen straight from the door, the drew closer and stopped when they saw Cameron. She too froze when the goat like monster stared.

Wide eyed she rose and introduced herself. “I’m a friend of Papyrus’, or at least I’m working on his case down at the prescient” she grinned, holding a hand out, frisk was all too eager to grab it and pull her in.

“Hello” She sweetly smiled “I’m toriel, this is frisk though it appears you’ve already met at the door” She chuckled lightly. Her voice was light and kind but her eyes were hard and calculating, like she was trying to figure out Cameron’s next move.

Ignoring the looks she was getting she looked about the living room, even went so far as to boldly peer into the kitchen for a short moment. “Papyrus upstairs?” she folded her hands in front of her.

Frisk clasped their hands together, shaking their head sadly. Toriel followed suit with a short sigh.

“It appears, Papyrus is missing.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 12/20/2016


	12. Fireman

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hum, I feel like like this chapter could of been written a whole lot better. 
> 
> If you feel that way too afterwards, let me know when and where and i'll try to fix it up!!
> 
> We've finally left that terrible house, I love the house and all it's just that every chapter Papyrus is just sorta hanging out. 
> 
> So here we are, exploring the world. getting out and doing things for once. Next chapter has more Pap I swear
> 
> Hope you all had/have a great holiday season!
> 
> Happy reading!!  
> S.E.
> 
> EDIT: 1000 hits guys?! YOU'RE AWESOME!!!! <3
> 
> Guess who can check me out over at the tumble-bumble? YOU CAN! https://thatsoneskinnyelephant.tumblr.com/

Quiet as the room was in those few seconds, Cameron’s mind couldn’t keep from screaming at her. What if he’d been at that second attack? What if he’s hurt now? She should have pushed harder to get put at the scene. Her mind ran a mile a minute.

“I uh” she cleared her throat, twisting her head about to reestablish where she was. “I need to go”

Her footsteps on the carpeted flooring seemed heavier with her urgency, just reaching the door she turned around when Toriel called out to her.

“Whats going on? Is everything alright?” pausing, Toriel’s face darkened slightly “Do you know where Papyrus is?”

A chill crawled down Cameron’s spine at the face Toriel sent her, she didn’t want to anger the obviously motherly monster by not answering her but she also didn’t want to sadden her by giving her the answer she looked for.  A second of inner debate that felt like minutes passed and she made her decision.

“I don’t want to scare you or anything” Cameron looked between the almost scary Toriel’s face and the young face of Frisk. “There was a second attack today.” She paused “Another bombing, chief said”

Toriel’s face instantly fell, her eyes traveled up past the balcony and glanced at the door on the right, shut tightly. Frisk furiously began signing but with Toriel’s attention elsewhere and Cameron’s lack of knowledge Frisk’s words went unseen.

“That’s where he is, right?” Cameron’s gaze followed Toriel’s until they were both staring at the same door.  “May I?” She pointed at the stairs.

Frisk shook their head, pulling on Toriel’s dress to grab her attention they signed what looked like a books worth of words. After they finished, she stood tall and translated to Cameron what frisk had said.

“Frisk says that you couldn’t get in to sans’ room even if you wanted too. Goodness, no one could. Papyrus locks the door each time he leaves the room. Frisk says he keeps the key on him in case of unexpected visitors.” She shook her head “He doesn’t want anyone harming his brother’s chances of waking up”

The room was quiet again, the air felt stale.

“Was it monsters?” Toriel whispered, not really wanting an answer.

“I couldn’t be sure, I wasn’t given the details” Toriel sighed a shaky breath in response, both knowing the chances of a monster attack. It made Papyrus being gone all the more frightening.

Cameron wished she knew where Papyrus was, even if it was just to calm his friend’s nerves.

“I’m gonna head out and search for him, I hope that isn’t too bold of me? Not being very close and all.”

The motherly monster moved closer to speak but was caught by a smaller hand. The conversation, from what Cameron could hear from Toriel’s input, started with Frisk asking something, Toriel refusing and in the end agreeing.

“We wish to accompany you on your search for Papyrus” she stood tall, like she were ready to fight should Cameron of answered negatively. The officer, while a bit intimidated by other’s height was in awe at the readiness to find their friend.

“Yeah! My cars right out front!” she smiled, pulling the door open and directing frisk to the rear passenger door. She pulled the passenger door open for Toriel and ran around to the driver’s.

“Hey, just wondering” She heard two clicks and then the click of her own seat belt. “How did you get in the house?” Cameron shoved the key into the ignition but hadn’t turned the car over yet.

“The brothers gave me a key when they first moved in” Toriel fished around in her front pocket and dangled a lone key on a green D-clip. “Sans said it was for emergencies but I think it was so Frisk could visit more often” She glanced back at Frisk through the rear view mirror.

Cameron satisfied with the answer, turned the car over. The police scanner that sat on her dash board came to life with beeps and annoying short screeches of sounds. The lights flashed red and then green, signaling that she had connected to the local channel.

“Where do you think Papyrus would go first?” she asked the others. Toriel hadn’t a clue but didn’t hesitate to nod along with whatever Frisk was signing to her. She turned back to Cameron to relay the message just as the police scanner came to life. A voice could be heard through the static.

“ Squad --- nee—“ the static faded the words in and out “ …-- monster.”

“Base to unknown squad, I couldn’t understand that last part, over” the operator on the other end came back clear as day, probably because they were so close to the station.

“—9 needs a --- at Grillbys  ”  The officer spoke louder and slower into the mic.

Cameron didn’t know a Grillbys but putting two and two together she could figure out that it was Squad 9 calling for something. She couldn’t remember if they were one of the squads sent to the bombing or not. She looked up to see Frisk signing something in the rear seat.

“Miss, is Grillby the one who got attacked?” Toriel inquired.

“Lets find out?” She threw the car into drive and drove as fast as her officer self would let her. She’d only heard rumors of Grillbys, being in with the law she had to know a great deal about the city and the places in it but she had never been to Grillbys.  She hoped this person was okay, they seemed to be another friend of Toriel and frisks. Funny, she thought to herself speeding up the one way streets, that all monsters were so friendly with each other; why couldn’t human be the same?

After taking some better directions from the child in the back who actually knew where they were going, they arrived on scene with police lights swirling and flashing. Maybe, she thought to herself, nearly slamming her door; that knowing where she was going before zooming off was the better choice next time. An Ambulance had its back doors open but no one inside and the fire truck was taking its leave. Exiting the car Cameron saw her co-workers taking statements from monsters around the street that they had blocked off. Frisk ran towards a tall monster appearing to be made of fire themselves. Toriel trailed slowly behind, as if she wasn’t actually friends with the fire monster just acquaintances. Frisk signed away to the fire monster who nodded in understanding and replied with their own cracks and snaps.

“HEY!” a man dressed in blue trudged over “you can’t speak with him until we’ve gotten our statement!” This must have been the same officer who called over the radio.

“Hey, come one Lawrence they’re just a kid” Cameron jogged up beside frisk, Toriel behind them all.

“You’re not even supposed to BE here Ramirez” The taller officer sneered. “You got sent home”

“I’m helping out friends” The officers stood chest to chest, Cameron’s nose only reaching Lawrence’s chin. They glared back and forth until Lawrence sighed and gave in.

“FINE” he grunted. “while you’re here, help us get his statement” He pointed his chin roughly in Grillby’s direction. “He wont say nuthin. Not a word. Maybe you can get him to talk” Turning around, he smoothed back his comb-over and strutted his way back to the monster he was originally talking to.

Cameron gave a nasty look in the older officer’s direction before turning back to look at frisk.

“Think you could help out with translating then?” Cameron bent at the waist and gave her best at a kind smile, given the situation. Frisk opened their mouth like they were going to speak but a quiet, deep voice spoke first.

“I can speak myself” it sounded low like hissing, small like you could miss it if you didn’t pay attention. Cameron straightened herself, surprised at the voice and slightly embarrassed for assuming.

“Ah! I’m sorry” She spoke to the Fire man, Grillby. “I just thought that.. err well since frisk had uhh” she wanted the ground to swallow her up.

“It’s alright” He replied without changing any facial expressions or showing any signs of a mouth.

 “It happens, I’m used to it” Inwardly she cursed. At herself and at others for assuming the same that she had just. Just because he can speak, doesn’t mean he has to. Hell he probably didn’t WANT to speak, what with the way Lawrence was acting today.

“Hey, uh, I just a have a few questions to ask you” She pulled out a pen she kept on her, sadly no paper at the ready. Her hand would have to do.

“Mm that’s how questioning goes right?” He chuckled lightly back through his response.

“What happened here exactly?” the back of her closed fist became her notepaper.

“I was cleaning up the bar, like I do every morning. I went in the back to grab a few more glasses and I heard something crash. I rushed to the front to see what had happened. I saw a liquor bottle had crashed through my window” He pointed up at the glass window that said the name of the bar ‘GRILLBYS’ in a beautiful big, swirly font smashed in. “The bottle had a rag in it I think? My whole store front was engulfed in flames.” He nodded to the charred and blackened entrance. “Lucky one of the neighbors called it in or else it would of all gone up.” He paused, as if waiting for something to be said or done. Cameron didn’t know what it was he wanted to happen but frisk seemed to be expecting something too.

She and Grillby conversed back and forth, about the time of the attack, and if he had possibly seen who was the cause. She was glad that it had just been the Molotov and not the  same kind of bomb used at the park a few weeks ago. Usually that would automatically kill the suspicion of the same guy attacking twice but something hadn't sat right about the fact that Papyrus had been at both of these places.  

“I’m glad you’re alright” She nodded when he did, confirming smaller details and reassured him that they would find the person responsible.

“Yes, well if you’ll excuse me I think its best to start clean up now rather than later” Grillby sighed at his storefront and made moves to step away.

“Actually, I have a few more questions?” Frisk nodded in agreement, willing the monster to stay. He turned his body back to show his attention.

“Have you seen Papyrus recently?” Grillby stood by, quiet. The man didn't fidget, but it did look like he had something he wanted to say.

“Please Grillby” Toriel pat a large hand down on frisk’s head “We haven’t seen him in a couple days, we’re worried”. Grillby stood for a minute more in silence, like he were having an inner debate.

“He was here earlier” He shuffled his feet, arms crossed over his chest. “He didn’t tell me not to tell anyone but it sounded like it was something he wanted to do by himself.”

“He was by here earlier? What did he say? Anything about where he was going? Is he alright?” Question after question fell out of Cameron’s mouth. She worried for the Skeleton, knowing about his brother she wanted to know he wasn't going to do anything rash.

Grillby looked out into the street before his bar before turning his head to answer with what he knew.

“He said he was looking for the man who hurt sans”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 12/25/2016
> 
> EDIT: 12/26/2016 (Should probably re-read)


	13. I didn't know you catered?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Grillby doesn't appreciate hang up calls.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> HELLO LOVELY PEOPLE
> 
> I swear I didn't mean to take so long! Classes are nearing their end in a few weeks, leaving me with yet another break to continue our favorite story! Seriously tho i'm way sorry about the lack of updates! I really do love this story and I wont say its on hiatus or anything because its not, It's just taking me a bit longer to throw up chapters. 
> 
> I do love the amount of people who still read it and wait on the new chapters ~ Thank you! 
> 
> Find me on the Tumble Bumbles to get updates and prompts! ( https://thatsoneskinnyelephant.tumblr.com/ )
> 
> Thank you again! Happy Reading!
> 
> S.E.

The city stood tall, buildings seemed never ending. They could touch the sky if they tried hard enough. Compared to their height Papyrus was an ant. Its not that he’s never noticed this before, because he has; He’s never stopped noticing. How small he is in this giant city; and if he’s so small in this city how small is he in comparison to the brand new world all the monsters lived on? Underground was big enough to ask for a couple days trip from his house to the king’s and that wasn’t even exploring all the neighbor hoods the sections had to offer.

He walked among humans, waiting at the edge of the sidewalk for the crossing signal to turn. Beside him a man with a business suit spoke fast and agitated into the cell phone he pressed up against his ear. On his other side, a child and her mother stood whispering. The mother whispered about how impolite it was to stare at others. Making no further movement to chastise the child she stood up straight, looking dead ahead at the other side of the street. Not offended by the mother’s comment Papyrus saw the little girl looked over again shyly. He made sure to give her a kind smile, lifting a hand from his pants pocket to wave slightly. 

The little girl gasped, gripping tighter onto her mother’s hand with both hands. Her gasp slid into a small smile but before she was able to respond back the crowd around them took off into the street. He stood, not moving from the sidewalk. Watching the little girl turn and try to shout out a goodbye but the crossing signal had turned again, leaving the traffic to drown out her tiny voice.

He smiled to himself, despite having missed his crossing. He wondered if the small human, frisk, had ever been so young. Being dragged from place to place by their parent. Did they have parents before falling? Papyrus never thought to ask, the small human had never mentioned anything about it. Obviously happier with the situation they’re in now.

Turning right down the sidewalk instead of waiting for the signal again he imagined frisk with older versions of them self.  Did they do that thing where each parent grabbed a hand and swung frisk? He continued to smile as he walked. Did they have movie Fridays with friends? His surroundings changed around him, only slightly. Not that the skeleton was paying attention. Did they make spaghetti and laugh about how terrible it was? His walking slowed to a shuffling, trying to figure out where he had gone from the small human’s parents to talking about spaghetti.

His scarf fluttered behind him in the wind, annoying the people who walked behind him. He continued his slow walk through his thoughts. The traffic becoming lighter as he reached the greener parts of the city that had coffee shops and smaller businesses. Grillbys was around here somewhere. Papyrus hadn’t had parents like he’d imagined up for frisk. He had sans who, while he cooked for him and bought him nice things, was his brother. He didn’t know much of what had become of his ‘parents’, if he even had any because there was no need to. You can’t miss something you never had right?

His thoughts rounded back to the beginning as he found himself back at the same crosswalk. The older, balding man that sat on an old creaky wooden stool next to the nearby paper stand scoffed while he waited for the light again. He’d walked himself in a circle. The light changed once more and this time he scuffed his feet across the road with the other crossers.

Having stuffed his hands in his pockets a while back, he slouched down. As if he were an older man having a bad day. While passing by an expensive boutique he saw his image reflect back at him. His own reflection surprised him, humped back and messy clothes. No wonder the woman in the window was giving him a nasty glare. He was tempted to blow a raspberry at her for her childishness but he guessed it wouldn’t do much to act the same. Meh, he thought to himself, While those dresses are very pretty they are too expensive for the great Papyrus!

He Nyeh heh’d and gave a small grin at his thoughts, straightening his shoulders and turning from the window hosting Bridal gowns he took a left down and around a smoothie shop. The window there said they had new ‘Green smoothies’. He told himself he’d like to try one sometime and continued on down the road. A destination in mind this time he decided that he’d had enough moping for the morning.

Papyrus knocked on a door he was sure was the correct one. When the door’s window curtain was pushed slightly to the side but the door never opened he assumed he’d gotten the wrong house. He was two steps down the stairs when Aaron opened the door very enthusiastically, slamming it against the wall inside the mudroom.

“HELLO! Papyrus! ;)” Aaron just about shouted form his doorway. Hand extended, as if he expected papyrus to grab it.

“Hello Aaron” Papyrus turned and greeted from below. “I don’t mean to intrude” he peered around the flexing seahorse to look inside the house. Woshua peeked from around the corner and jumped back when they and Papyrus made eye contact.

“Hello, Woshua” Papyrus greeted with a nod, smile and small wave.

“Don’t worry! They just get shy! ;)” Aaron flexed both of his arms, making sure to pose like there were cameras at the bottom of the stairs. Papyrus ‘uh-huh’d’, zoning out for a second and then snapping back to earth.

“Aaron, I actually didn’t come to socialize” Papyrus craned his neck once more to look up at the flexing monster. “I came to ask if either of you remember anything of what happened at the anniversary celebration?” He clasped his hands, hopeful.

“Nah! ;) ” He rested his arms down by his sides. “I was VERY busy flexing for passerby’s! ;)” holding a hand on his hips, he used the other to point back into the open door of his house. “Woshua was VERY BUSY scrubbing down the tables before the dogs took them down ;)” a very small ‘Scrub a dub dub’ could be heard from inside the house.

Papyrus tried not to look too down but he had really hoped that Aaron would know something, seeing as he didn’t know where the dogs lived and the queen was someone he wasn’t ready to see right now. Not that he harbored any hard feelings, it was more guilt at what had happened between them.

“Playing detective today are you, Papyrus? ;)” The more he hung around Aaron, the more he remembered why they weren’t friends. The winking and flexing was annoying him to no end.

“No, I mean maybe a little.” He shielded his eyes from the sun, who chose now to come out from behind the clouds. “Just trying to find the person responsible for the explosion”

“Ah! Your brother! That’s right! He’s falling down, isn’t he? ;)” Aaron whistled, unknowing how insensitive he was being. “That’s a real bummer, the only family you got and now ;)” he shrugged, throwing up an arm to flex he nodded at a pair of girls as they walked by. Blowing kisses, they giggled and continued past.

“HE’S NOT DEAD YET” Papyrus all but yelled, surprising the monster before him, he stomped the rest of the way down the stairs. Holding the pillar at the bottom of the stairs he swung himself around the corner and down the final stair, huffing as he continued on down the sidewalk. Pulling his scarf up in front of his face he tried to stop tears before they fell.

“Try Grillbys! He catered didn’t he? ;)” The monster waved after Papyrus “He might know something ;)”

Papyrus paused in his steps to take in what the seahorse had yelled to him, Grillby had catered? Papyrus didn’t turn back to acknowledge the seahorse but let the words sink in. He hadn’t known. He actually hadn’t even seen him that night. It couldn’t hurt to try he thought, and grillbys was only right around the corner right? His feet lifted a little lighter after he heard Aaron’s door shut.

Papyrus was glad that Grillby never questioned either of the skeletons waltzing in like they do. Well, sans more than he. He couldn’t get a taste for the grease ball food that Grillby served. The bell above the door rung as he entered the establishment, the place felt warm and homey even though the place could be called a pub. He served more alcohol topside than he ever had before. Not that the flame monster couldn’t handle a few brawlers. His shoulders back, he came right up to the bar and plopped down In what he knew to be sans barstool. Grillby was nowhere in sight though. He slouched over the bar, both elbows on the light mahogany wood. His forehead touched the wood and his huffing caused a fogging over the glazed wood. He watched the fog appear with each breath and disappear after a few seconds. He repeated this a few times until he heard the employee door behind the counter open. His head shot up to see a surprised grillby holding the door with an elbow and both hands full of trays full of glasses for later that night.

The Monster tilted his head in question, one that Papyrus seemed to understand without words.

“I know, The Great Papyrus isn’t usually to be seen in such a place” He trailed off “No offence”

The fire monster shrugged.

“But I just wanted to come by and see how, uh you know, how Grillby was doing!” He slapped a grin on that anyone could see was fake “So? How have you been? I know it’s been way too long since we’ve last caught –“

The fire monster crackled and snapped in response, cutting him off.

“No! I am not lonely Grillby! What would make you think..!” Snaps and cracks cut him off again. “NO Undyne came To visit me just the other day!” he exclaimed, face changing color a bit.

Grillby approached the counter, a few feet to the left of where papyrus sat and put the trays down. Beginning the task of drying he glasses with a cloth and setting them on the shelf underneath. Saying nothing, he turned his head to Papyrus, nodding his head.

“Okay, so I didn’t come to chat you up” the color on his face dimmed slightly “I wanted to know if you had catered for the anniversary celebration? If you had I didn’t see you?” He grew nervous, hoping that grillby would know anything.

Grillby nodded his head. “I did” he spoke low and soft “but I left before many arrived, I didn’t see you either. I had to open the bar.”

“So you wouldn’t happen to know anything about the man who planned the explosion huh?” Papyrus picked at the bar top, only to have his hand slapped at by Grillby.

He shook his head. “How is he?” he whispered almost as if the words weren’t spoke then nothing that came next would be true.

“He’s… stable..ish” Papyrus was slow to speak “ I try to keep his fever down but each time I change the cloth more and more dust sullies the bowl.” Both hands tightened into fists on the bar top. “I talk to him every day. I read to him. His favorite books, I tell him about how well everyone is doing and how they miss him..” a hand went lax, drawing shapes on the bar. “How I miss him..”

Grillby sighed, he wished he could do more for the tall skeleton. He knew how things would end no matter how Papyrus wanted them to. He didn’t know if Papyrus knew yet that sans wasn’t going to wake up or if he was going to get a slap in the face when one day he walked in on a bed covered in dust. He hated talking about his friend in that way but he knew that sans time was up, even if it killed him to see the skeletons he’d watched grow up hurt so much.

“sans..” he paused once he heard the phone chime, returning to the back to answer he left Papyrus to his thoughts.  A minute later Grillby returned with a scoff, tossing the rag down on the bar to roughly clean the top.

“Is everything okay?”

“Yeah” He let up from the rough scrubbing to look back at the younger skeleton “Just a hang up caller” shaking his head at the absurd lengths people went to let other know they were disliked he continued.

“ sans would want you to be happy, no matter what happens” Papyrus gave a grim look, he huffed and stood the stool spinning from the force. He had said nearly the same thing that Toriel had said. What did he know about what sans wanted? He was just a bar keep. His shoulders dropped at the thought of saying something so rude aloud. His feet scuffed along the floor as he gripped the door handle a bit tighter than he normally would.

“Thanks Grillby” The fire monster behind the counter nodded and waved him off, listening to the bell above the door ring as is closed again.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 2/23/2017


	14. What happened to the mini donuts?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> There are some really nasty people out there.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I felt bad about having not updated in a while so here you go!
> 
> I'm working on the next chapter as we read so its definite soon!! <3
> 
> Thanks for putting up with this mess of a person ahah
> 
> Want some more to read while I'm messing around with this? Suggest a prompt or leave a request on my Tumble Bumbles! ( https://thatsoneskinnyelephant.tumblr.com/ )
> 
> Happy reading!!
> 
> S.E.

His shoulders sagged, standing outside the bar he took a breath and stood tall. He wasn’t about to let two failed leads ruin his day. Besides, he had the chief of police helping him too, didn’t he? Papyrus found himself slowly shuffling down the sidewalk towards the station, hoping to find something better than the less than helpful info he’d collected. Stepping off the sidewalk to cross the near dead road he spotted a black van spin its tires and pull up across the street from Grillby’s. He remembered this because of the atrocious sound the tires made while pulling up. The horrendous parking also stood out. He inwardly scolded the driver for such terrible driving.

He didn’t stick around to see anyone exit the vehicle, he was down the road and turning a corner before a great crash sounded. He didn’t pay much mind to the sound, many strange sounds occurred in the city.

After jogging up the steps of the station he rung the small bell that sat on the tall desk in the main hall. No one appeared to be around, so he rung it again, and for the hell of it, once more. Ready to ring the bell again, a pale hand snatched the bell from beneath his own. It slammed it back down a few inches away, making the bell sound anyway. Grumbling, the man let out a puff of air before asking Papyrus what he needed.

“How may I help you…” he made an ugly face, blowing out air “…sir?” he drawled out the letters sounding snobbish.

“Ah Hello!” Papyrus smiled brightly “I am here to speak with your chief!” He tugged at his scarf, keeping his fingers moving, his eyes darted about the room. As if afraid to keep eye contact.

“The chief?” the man snorted back, a cough to hide the rude laugh “Yeah okay. Just tell me what you want and then you can leave.” The Police officer looked down at the screen before him, typing a bit and clicking twice.  He paused and then glared back up at the skeleton. “WELL? What is it you want?” he sucked air in between his teeth.

“I..” He faltered for a minute, looking the man into his eyes he picked at the scarf’s loose edges before remembering that he is the GREAT PAPYRUS! How could he call himself great if he were afraid to speak with this human? “I want to see your chief” he spoke sternly, loud enough that anyone passing through the halls could hear. “..Please” he added at the end.

“I already told you” The man scoffed “You ain’t seeing the chief, he wouldn’t want to see a filthy monster like you anyhow. You’re all the same, taking our jobs and running humans out of towns. Haven’t you ever stopped to think about how your kind are ruining our lives? Next there’ll be Humans and Monsters marrying. Disgusting” He spat, watching Papyrus’ face slowly fall gave him the encouragement he needed to continue his rant “And further more-!”

“Heey!” a much younger officer ran done the stairs, holding a few bills and a handful of change he spotted Papyrus. “You’re the Skele monster that came around some time ago!” His smile overtook his face.

Papyrus perked up the tiniest bit when he heard the sound of remembrance from this younger officer.

“Yeah, I remember because you was crying like a baby.” He laughed at the memory, Papyrus’s face fell again. “Was you lookin for the Chief?”

Papyrus didn’t say anything before the older officer behind the desk scoffed. “You know the chief ain’t looking to babysit monsters” He looked Papyrus up and down with a sour look on his face.

“Aw this was the one Ramirez brought in, he was having some sort of panic attack.” He looked over to the skeleton “You’re alright now, right?”

Papyrus nodded, opening his mouth to speak over the other mans continued grumbling about the situation. “Yes, I’m quite fine now. I would just like to speak with your chief” feeling braver than before he held his head high.

“Is that all? Well jeez why didn’t you say so?” The young officer held out his empty hand in direction but Papyrus grabbed onto it. The man behind the desk loudly complained about Monsters in the building but  was drowned out in the elevator. Releasing the young mans hand after the elevator closed Papyrus made a face at the closing door.

“Aw jeez, I was supposed to be getting the boss a snack” The officer beside papyrus groaned. Turning his head towards the monster he continued “Y’know, those small powdery donuts? Whoops” He chuckled at his mistake.

“We can always go back” Papyrus’s eyes found the others, worried he spoke fast “ I wouldn’t want you to find trouble” His arms were stiff at his side. What if the chief became angry in his lack of snackage? Or worse, what if he forgot Papyrus?

“Nah, I’ll just come back down. More break time for me” The young man stretched his arms behind his head, grunting as he pulled on tight muscles.

The officer reminded Papyrus of sans, he couldn’t tell if it was just the blues the man wore or his lazy attitude towards his work. The only thing the man lacked was terrible puns. Papyrus sighed, closing his eyes he lolled his head back. He felt a dull throbbing in the back of his head. A headache? Could skeletons get headaches?

The officer beside him made a lame attempt at a joke before letting the elevator go quiet. The elevator dinged, signaling the arrival at their floor. Papyrus was the first to step out, looking back he waited for the younger to guide him.

“Ah” the man in blue grabbed the door of the elevator, keeping it from closing just yet. “You know where the chiefs office is right?” He pointed across the floor at the glass walls with shut blinds “Right over there! I gotta get the boss his snack before he gets pissy” He chuckled lightly. Letting the doors slide shut he wished Papyrus luck.

Papyrus watched the door shut and turned to face the floor full of desks and left on lamps. In the corner was the desk of Officer Cameron’s, pictures stood in the corners of the wooden top. The lamp was one of the few in the room shut off and the chair neatly pushed in. Slowly he took in the surroundings as he made his way to the closed up office. People stared on as he excused himself past conversations and in between chairs casually left out. Some officers stared in disgust, many glanced up and smiled. Few looked on in lust, he shuddered not wondering what was going on in their minds. When he stood before the chief’s door is when conversation behind him continued normally. Jokes were shared and throats were cleared. Sounds of drawers slamming and keyboard tapping resumed. The silence that everyone had shared for the briefest of moments disappeared.

Papyrus knocked ever so quietly on the door in front of him, not expecting a response he raised his hand again only to be surprised with the sound of a gruff voice. swinging the door open Papyrus was hit with the stench of stale liquor and cigar. The Chief had his head in a folder of papers that kept him from looking up.

“Shut the door and take a seat” He grabbed the nearby standing pen, crossing out words and adding notes he spoke that he would be with Papyrus in a minute and cleared his throat loudly. Papyrus stood by the door, fiddling with his hands.

“I said – “The chief looked up, taking in Papyrus’ form he  ‘oh’d softly “Pat my boy! Take a seat!” He stood, gesturing to the chair opposite of his. Papyrus took steps forward, grabbing the back of the chair. He didn’t sit, when the chief caught wind of the skeleton’s intentions he cleared his throat again, pounding on his chest with a fist.

“Papyrus, sir” Papyrus seemed a bit stiff, he was tired and just wanted to go home, to see his brother.

“Right, right. Sorry Papyrus” He plopped back down in his chair, with a deep breath he asked the nature of Papyrus’ visit. “Cameron isn’t here today”

“I saw, I wanted to ask about status of my brother’s case” The more Papyrus spoke the more tired he became.

“Well, We haven’t gotten far. Just a few suspects, that’s it.” He closed the folder on his desk “We have so many other cases to look into, I’m sorry to say that sometimes things get put on the back burner” He sighed, grabbing the hardly filled glass from atop a stack of folders he downed last gulp of amber liquid.

Closing a folder beneath the one he’d just closed Papyrus was sure he’d seen Sans’ picture pinned in the corner. “What of the suspects? Surely you’ve spoken with them all?” He rose his hand to his chin, humming. “Of course, I can help. After all I am very great “ His pose did nothing to convince the chief to allow him to go after the suspects.

“Unfortunately you can’t go looking for these people, especially if they didn’t actually do anything” Pouring himself another small glass of foul smelling liquor the older man coughed again.

“But sir! I can most defiantly help! I am the GREAT PAPYRUS!!” He struck a pose that would often make people chuckle or at least smile, looking back down at the chief he saw his head stuck in another file. Papyrus hummed sadly, lowering his arms.

Receiving a call the chief stood abruptly, fixing his tie he rushed to the door; only to turn back and tell papyrus to stay put until he returned. Papyrus nodded, he watched the man leave the office, the blinds on the door swung for a moment and then stilled. Papyrus waited a minute, peaked through the blinds and then rushed to the desk. He flipped through files until he came across the one with the picture of his brother. Bending pages and skimming words he eventually found the suspects three pages in. Both men had Patchy facial hair and wore what appeared to be the collared shirt he remembered but only one had a green logo in the corner, one he recognized. He committed their face and names to memory, studying their features he slammed the file closed when he heard loud conversation behind the blinded door. Rushing to return to his spot he made it just in time before the chief met eyes with him again.

“Patrus, I’m sorry I can’t allow you to take matters into your own hands. This is a police matter now” He held the door open for the monsters, a hint to leave.

“Really, it’s no problem” He waved the thought away with a hand “I completely understand your dilemma! “he inched closer to the door, looking to be gone before the balding man knew the files on his desk had been messed with.

The chief watched Papyrus slink out of the office, even going so far as to sheepishly wave as the door was being shut in his face. He watched the door close with a grand smile until the blinds stopped swaying. It was then that he spun around, took giant steps towards the elevator he knew would take him to the exit. Entering, he turned to face the now closing doors. He could just make out in the scratched, foggy chrome, his face. In his angry reflection he was able to see one thing.

 He was VERY. DETERMINED.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 2/25/2017

**Author's Note:**

> Added 10/3/2016


End file.
